Cursed Beauty
by Illyrian Lassie
Summary: A seduction game turned haywire when Sasuke wants Naruto, whom he had only seen in female form. So does Naruto, but they both have problems of their own their girlfriends, Sakura and Hinata. Chapter 9 is here!
1. Girly Disasters

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 1: Girly Disasters

Author's notes: My first Naruto fic, but not my first fic. And I only own this fic, ok? No suing business going around.

* * *

Haruno Sakura woke up early in the morning to find herself in an extremely good mood. She yawned for a while and then headed straight to the bathroom to dress up for the next lovely date with her boyfriend, Uchiha Sasuke. Sakura had been crushing on him since eternity, and a few months ago, she had finally gotten her dream guy to say yes for her and she would never any chance to be with him slip away. 

Sakura is a typical 19 year old freshman attending Konoha University in Osaka, and she was glad that her crush also attended the same university. Plus she also had her best friend, Naruto there. For as long as she can remember, Sasuke has always been hers, and the incident last week just confirmed it.

-Flashback-

_Sakura was stunned. Stunned, but not shocked. This was not the first time Sasuke rejected her advances. But it still gave her heartache._

_'I'm sorry Sakura. Please do not ask me the same question again. I would not go out with you, I'm really sorry.' Apparently not sorry enough to accept her invitation for a date._

_'Sasuke-kun, why cant't we be together? You knew it, I've liked you since we were young. Why is it that you can never like me?' It took Sakura a lot of courage to ask him out for the tenth time, and yet…._

_'Look Sakura, you are a nice girl. But you are just not my type.' He said it with such intensity in his dark eyes that would have melted Sakura if the words from his mouth were anything other than rejection towards her. 'If you would excuse me, I would like to attend my next lecture.' _

_And he left Sakura broken hearted.

* * *

_

_'Sakura-chan, he was so awful', Naruto said, calming a sobbing Sakura. 'He wasn't worth of your love.'_

_'Naruto, don't you understand? I love him, it's fated! No matter how many times I dated other people, I never gotten over him. I can't forget him. Oh Naruto, what should I do to make him like me?' Sakura cried on Naruto's shoulder._

_Naruto knew that feeling almost too well. Before he met Hinata, he was madly in love with Sakura, and he suffered numerous rejections from her. But, during high school, he finally met Hinata while working together in a Social Studies project, and sparks flew. Naruto admired her honesty and courage to improve herself, and Hinata loved his humour and his self-belief. They complimented each other and their relationship, had reached the stage where others could not fathom. She even do not mind Sakura being close to Naruto, because she knew that they are purely platonic, and she trusted Naruto completely._

_He could smile thinking of his girlfriend, Hinata, but he cannot smile in front of a heavily sobbing Sakura._

_'I wish a fairy would just come by and change his mind,' Sakura continue sobbing. 'Naruto, I really cannot bear with such pain any more, I do not know life is worth living anymore.'_

_Naruto, at that moment wished he was really a fairy.

* * *

_

_Two days after the last rejection by Sasuke, Sakura was in her room, lying in her bed, skipping lectures. She was simply not in mood to attend any lecture, or to go anywhere. She just wanted the world to bury her forever._

_And just as she wanted to continue wallowing in her own self-pity, she heard a knock in the door. But she could care less. _

_'Sakura', she heard her mother, 'you have a visitor.'_

_'I'm not in, mom.'_

_'Honey, it is Sasuke-kun,' her mother quickly apologized to the visitor for Sakura's behaviour._

_Sakura couldn't react properly, and by the act of her impulse she ran to open her room door, and standing at her room door was really the cold-hearted man she had been dreaming for her life. _

_'Erm, Sakura…you look tired. It's ok, I'll just come later.' He was about to turn and leave when-_

_'Sasuke-kun, don't! Please tell me why are you here, please?' Sakura blurted out._

_'I was just checking in on you, heard that you were sick', Sasuke said._

_'Thanks, Sasuke-kun. I am fine, thanks for coming.' Sakura blushed, she never had Sasuke in her house before, and now, with her disheveled hair, messy clothes…why oh why did he had to come now?_

_'Sakura, if you do not mind, I have a favour to ask….'_

_'Anything at all, Sasuke-kun, anything **–Shannaro!-' **Sakura immediately brightened up. She would not care what kind of favour Sasuke is asking, the important thing is that Sasuke is asking HER for a favour. Sakura was still wondering whether she was dreaming about all this, her dream guy in front of her, in her house._

_'Are you free tomorrow? I wanted to take you out for a movie, if you do not mind…'_

_Sakura almost fainted on the spot, that must be a dream! She clenched her fist, as tightly as she can managed until it hurt, and it did hurt. She wasn't dreaming. This is real, the real Sasuke standing in front of her, asking her out on a date, and she had this scene in her mind for years. She had been thinking about her responses should he ever ask her out, but right now, she could only remain as calm as she can, then ordering her mouth to form and say the word-_

_'….Yes, definitely. I am so-'_

_Sasuke didn't let her finish her sentence, he suddenly look nervous and then said, 'Then, I'll drive you to the movies after our last lecture for tomorrow. Rest well, Sakura.'_

_And he left Sakura in ecstacy.

* * *

_

_Last Week…_

_It was very late at night, and Sakura and Sasuke had just came out of a cinema. _

_'Sasuke-kun, that was a nice movie, right? I loved how the heroine sacrificed herself for the man she loved, even though the man had already married another…I wish I would someday had her courage and…Sasuke-kun, are you listening to me?'_

_Sasuke was gazing into the sky, eyes fixed on the moon. Ever since they started dating each other, Sasuke had always paid her his fullest attention, never interrupting her whenever she talks, and had always treated her with cautious. However, their relationship only went as far as holding hands, courtesy of Sakura, he had never even kissed her. And recently he had always been looking into the sky, at the moon. Sakura was a feeling a little disappointed that they had never even touched each other before, but Sasuke is now HER boyfriend, and that was all that matter._

_Sasuke was still looking at the moon, obviously did not hear Sakura's words. Sakura wrapped her arms around him and approached him from the front and kissed him lightly on the lips. It was a success, Sasuke tore his eyes away from the sky, but he pushed Sakura away lightly._

_'I'm sorry, Sakura. Would you like to stop by my house? I'll make you tea.' He said, monotonously._

_Sakura didn't know what to feel. She wanted Sasuke to tell her how in love he is with her, how beautiful she is to her, but, he never said much in their outings. Determining to make the move tonight, she followed his car to his house, and then settled herself on the couch._

_Sasuke didn't make her tea. Sakura did not let him. As soon as Sasuke was about to leave for the kitchen, Sakura pulled him to the couch and wrapped herself around him. Sasuke was stunned, and he remained stiff, but Sakura didn't budge, instead she moved nearer and placed her lips on his neck, then placing feather-light kisses on his neck._

_'You know what, Sasuke-kun, I want you to tell me that you love me,' she whispered seductively. Sasuke then, to her surprise, bent down, hands holding her hips tight, and began to kiss her. _

_The kiss immediately sent shivers down her spine. It passionate and desperate and Sakura felt her insides burning. His tongue reached out to hers, and connected to hers. His hands began moving up and down body, then holding and caressing her breast. Her hands moved to unbutton her shirt as his began to do the same. It was then, Sasuke had suddenly turned ferocious, he tore off her shirt, unzipped her bra, while pushing her down to the couch, he moved his lips down to her body, kissing her every part of the body, and removed her skirt. Without waiting anymore, Sakura unzip his pants. They paused to catch their breath, and then entered the domain that she had never dreamt before._

_They made love the whole night, in every way imaginable, without any protection, and Sakura loved every second of it. She doesn't care, Sasuke touched her in ways she never thought he would. By the time the sun began to rise, they had been making love for more than six hours, and Sakura was then a very tired, exhausted but extremely satisfied woman. She had given Sasuke her virginity, and she never regretted it. _

_After the incident, they made love almost every day for long hours. Sakura didn't mind the exhaustion - Sasuke is HERS, and the more they have sex, they more she is sure of it._

-End Flashback-

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke is a depressed man. By right, he should be the happiest man in the world – filthy rich, devilishly handsome looks, body of a model, intelligence almost unmatched by any of his coursemates in Konoha University, a legendary football player, and a pretty trophy girlfriend. But he wasn't happy. 

He woke up with a heavy headache resulting from hungover due to excessive alcohol after sending Sakura, his girlfriend home yesterday. They started having sex a week ago, and had continued everyday since. But last night, their love-making session was cut short due to Sakura's assignment, she had needed to pass it in tomorrow. But, even if she hadn't needed to complete her assignment, he would have stopped it. (He wanted to stop when she suddenly remembered her assigned project.) He didn't love her, and he made love to her the first time in delusion- she had touched and seduced him in the way he wanted another woman to do, the woman he barely knew.

Sakura was a nice girl alright - pretty, smart and nice, in short, every guy's dream wife. But not his. He was insanely in love with another woman, that is for sure, and he dated Sakura because she asked him to.

Her name was Nanako. They met when he was 15. He was in 7-eleven buying a quick lunch, and she was caught shoplifting.

-Flashback-

_Sasuke had just finished her private tutorial with Kakashi, who remained his tutor until now, even though Kakashi wasn't exactly a person fit to teach a university undergraduate anymore. Sasuke particularly found Kakashi very brotherly, even closer to him than his own family. His parents are always away, and his brother, Itachi is currently pursuing his art career in Italy. Sasuke is always lonely, and Kakashi is his only companion, confidante, teacher, brother and friend. _

_He walked down the alley towards the 7-eleven, to get himself a lunch, as he enter, he bumped into a blonde girl with two ponytails. _

_'OUCH! Mind where you are going, you bastard!' Apparently the girl is very unruly and unmannered. Bad first impression._

_Sasuke rubbed his forehead, and then he heard the shop assistant shouting, 'Get her, she took some chocolate bars!'_

_That alarmed the girl immediately, and she then ran away. Sasuke did not managed to get up fast enough to help in capturing her, and he had let her escaped.

* * *

_

_Sasuke went out with his friends to the club that his brother own later that night, as it was the New Year's Eve. He knew that they were underage, and were not allowed in, but since his brother own the club, he did not gave a damn. _

His friends were enjoying their night. Shikamaru was picking on Temari, a senior in their high school, whom he had eyes on for quite some time after he kicked his ass in a one-on-one dare in basketball. Kabuto, his brother's friend is dancing intimately with a girl he just met.

_On normal days, Sasuke would have been already be kissing with any random girl that come to him, but he was not in mood tonight. His mind was still on the blonde girl he bumped into earlier. Even though their meeting was brief and the impression she gave to Sasuke was negative, Ssauke did recall looking into her clear blue eyes, which was in dilemma and trouble. Somehow, for reasons unknown to him, he wanted to meet her again badly. Seeing that his friends could do without him, he went out for a walk._

_He did not have a direction to go, and feeling uncharacteristically unhappy, he just walked along the back lanes of the club. Then, he saw silhouettes of a few men approaching a person._

_'Stealing from us, you brat? Do you actually go to school, can you even spell trouble?' A man said as he bent down upon their target, apparently immobilized. _

_'Come to think of it, you are quite sexy for your age,' he stepped in further, pulling the target upwards, and began to grab her breasts, and then to the whole body. The target, whom Sasuke had began to see more clearly, began to moan defiantly, trying to breaking away from the clutches of the other two men who are holding either side of her hands. _

_The man who spoke earlier, who had seemed to be the gang leader, then started to force himself upon her, and lifting up the girl's miniskirt, and ran his hands up and down her legs, evidently going to rape the helpless girl. _

_It was when the girl began to shout that Sasuke recognized who she was, and then rushed to her, kicking the man who was trying to rape her. It was fortunate that Sasuke was skilled in martial arts, and also happen to be the employer of the gang of men._

_'What are you bastards trying to do upon a helpless girl? Do you want to be fired?' all of them were worked for the underground triad business that his father managed with Orochimaru, the town's most infamous triad boss._

_They immediately ran away, and left Sasuke with the blonde girl that he had bumped upon in 7-eleven earlier that morning.

* * *

_

_Sasuke carried the girl to his room. Her leg was broken, and she can't walk, but for some unknown reasons, she refused to be sent to the hospital. He then had no choice but to carry her to his home, and to call his personal doctor to nurse her back to health, despite her loud insistence of not accepting help from Sasuke. However, as she began to walk, she stumbled, but still continued to walk._

_'Come one, you cannot walk. Let me carry you,' Sasuke said with a chuckle, watching her fruitless attempts to get away. It was then Sasuke scooped her in his arms, and said 'Don't worry, I won't rape or eat you.' the girl fell silent and give in._

_As he watched his personal doctor treat her, he cannot help noticing the extraordinary attractiveness of the girl. She was so beautiful, so full of sex appeal that it seemed unnatural. Her long blonde hair shines with much radiance as her eyes. Her long legs made any skirt look scandalously mini, her full breasts almost seemed like she does not need any bra, and her behind – well, safe to say that her overall body carried such womanly curve that only a full grown woman could possibly possess. Sasuke cursed himself for having such impure thoughts on a person that he just met, but he cannot help to be mesmerized by the girl, so entranced in her features that it could leave him breathless. Sasuke, being the school's hottest guy, had never felt such way before.

* * *

_

_He personally took breakfast to her the next morning, and wish her 'Happy New Year'. She, however, was still being cold towards him. _

_'I'm getting out of here. Thank you for the night.' She said as she began to ready herself, apparently going to leave._

_Sasuke knew that it will not be easy to keep her. He placed the breakfast tray on the table nearest to him, and approach the girl. _

_'Hey, at least tell me your name.' Sasuke said with a voice that he used to get the girls melt in an instance. 'I let you stay the night, at least you have to return the favour. Uchiha Sasuke. Yours?'_

_She looked almost disgusted at the way Ssauke behaved, and then surprisingly replied, 'yeah, I know you very well, alright. You asshole. So can I go now?'_

_Her reply shocked Sasuke, but he acted calm; he had a reputation to uphold. 'You know me, but I don't know you, honey. It isn't fair.'_

_'Fine, I'm Naru- Nanako. Er…Umino Nanako. Satisfied?' Sasuke didn't notice her confusion on her name and continued to move towards her. He looked piercingly at her, and they were locked in a gaze as Sasuke whispered 'No one had ever resisted me like you did before. Why don't you stay here until you injuries are healed?'_

_Nanako tore away from the gaze, turning red, but claimed that 'Oh my god, you are a crazy person.', and stormed out of the room. He didn't knew why he didn't stop her, but Sasuke knew it was a decision he greatly regretted, because he would only see her four years later.

* * *

_

_Sasuke had once again rejected the invitation to a date by his fellow varsity mate, Sakura, who had been crushing on him for years. He was in his room listening to his iPod, and completing his assignment, but his mind drifted to a girl he met a few years earlier, and wondered why couldn't he find her anywhere in Osaka. _

_'All I know is her name, huh?' Ssauke sighed. He cannot forget that girl, who entered his life briefly and left in a flash. She was the reason that Sasuke never dated any other girl seriously. Deep inside his heart, he is still waiting for the girl to appear. He was never a believer in love at first sight, but Nanako had seemed to be an exception, the one that had tormented him for years._

_Then he heard a voice on the door. 'Sasuke-sama, there is a girl who is looking for you downstairs…'_

_'Ask her to leave.' Short reply from Sasuke._

_'But, Sasuke-sama, Nanako-chan said that it is important…..'_

_Again interrupting his servant, he immediately stormed to the guest room. _

_Sasuke was stunned to see the girl of his dreams reappear._

_'So Sakura is your cousin, huh? And you wanted me to be her boyfriend?' Sasuke cannot believe his ears. After all this years he had been waiting for her, she appear to ask him to date another girl? He felt a distant pain in him, the possibility of unrequited love – something that Sasuke knew nothing about._

_'Please, Sasuke-kun. It hurts me to see her this way. I just return from Tokyo and I do not want to see her this way. Please?' she said with such glitter in her eyes that it seemed all too familiar, but Sasuke couldn't care less. She is here, but unfortunately not for him._

_'What do I get in return?' Sasuke demanded, looking eye-to-eye at her._

_To Sasuke's surprise, Nanako smiled seductively at him, and whispered in his ears, 'What do you want other than me? I can give you.'_

_'That is not a deal,' Sasuke said, wrapping his arms around her slim waist, his lips trying to reach for hers, 'I want nothing but you. If I do what you ask me to, leave your number, because what I want in return is to see you again, for as long as I want to.' After saying that, Sasuke held her tight, something that he had been dreaming about._

_Nanako, taken aback, pushed him away, looking at him with an expression that seemed to indicate that she was angry. 'You have a deal, Sasuke. Bastard!'_

_With that, without leaving her number, Sasuke watched her leave his house again._

-End Flashback-

* * *

Kakashi entered Sasuke's room to find him in a mess. 

'Yo, superstar! Oh, man, this ain't you. You sure got yourself pretty tired out huh?' he teased, 'Time for training, you don't want to miss those trainings, football season's is near the corner, unless you want Naruto to get the spotlight….'

"Kakashi! Hungover.' Sasuke said shortly, holding his forehead, still lying on the bed.

Kakashi sighed. He tried to provoke his best student by mentioning his rival's name, but apparently to no avail. He had been drinking excessively, and skipping lectures in these few days, a sign of disarray and mental depression.

'Ok, superstar. What's your problem? Is it money, or is it women?'

'Kakashi, why is it that she had to disappear? She asked me to date another girl, and then she disappear.' Sasuke said, 'All I want is to see her again…'

'Listen, Sasuke. You are a mess. This isn't you. Definitely. Get hold of yourself and think, okay? When is it that she came?' Kakashi sat beside him, taking out his favourite romance (?) book, Come Come Paradise.

Sasuke began to think. 'You're right Kakashi. I lose it everytime she's around. And if she ever come back again, I'll never lose it again. But, how do I get to see her again?'

'You last saw her asking you to date another person, when was it?'

'Around three months ago, I guess.'

'No, what did you do to make her suddenly appear?' Kakashi's eyes not leaving the book.

Sasuke's mind began to search the memories. He was in his room, then she came to his house, asking her to take Sakura as a girlfriend, because she rejected her again, and she was sad to see her…..

'Kakashi, you are a genius!'

Kakashi wondered why an intelligent person like Sasuke, with his 'hottest guy' reputation could be so dense when it comes to women, as he flipped another page of Come Come Paradise.

'Anytime, Sasuke.'

* * *

Naruto woke up from a bad dream. It was a dream on Sasuke, and anything that is even remotely connected to that bastard is BAD. He was Sasuke's rival in football, and they barely make it through the training without squabbling. 

In a way, Naruto was jealous of Sasuke, who seemed to possess natural affinity for girls, natural talent for football and natural intelligence. Unlike Sasuke, Naruto had to work his way, training day and night to achieve his status as one of the best strikers in the university, while Sasuke is always paired with him. Funny how they are always forced to work together, yet, they never reached an understanding.

Their rivalry began since they were young, approximately in their elementary school. Sasuke was Sakura's crush, and Naruto liked Sakura. A chain of unrequited love. But the rivalry went further as Naruto was selected to the football team, and they were never seen in good terms.

There was another reason why Naruto had to stay rivals with Sasuke – His women side is attracted to him.

Naruto is a man with a secret. He can turn into a woman, and his female form had met Sasuke twice.

He was once possessed by a female fox spirit, and in order to keep the spirit under control, it was sealed in his body, immobilizing its every move, with the sacrifice of his parents. Since then, he had been kept under the custody of Iruka, a family friend. Even though the spirit was sealed, some of the fox's attribute are manifested in Naruto, for example, he can turn into a woman at will. This is his most dangerous ability, because the more he transform, the more dominant the woman side will be, and if he is not careful, he might be stuck as a woman. He normally used it to play pranks, but one day it went haywire – he got stuck.

He was 15 when the incident happened. Initially wanted to play prank on a 7-eleven manager, whose son used to bully him, he shoplifted in his female form, but after that got stuck. He was so panic that he didn't want to return home and get scolded by Iruka, so he wandered around the town, penniless, hungry and cold. He tried to pickpocket, but was found out. The man called his friends and they broke his leg, and trying to rape him. Sasuke rescued him, and those incidents left him traumatized, and he swore to never turn into a woman again.

The complications however, was corrected, when the spirit was resealed, to help strengthen the weakening seal. He turned over a new leaf, and decided to leave his mischief behind, to start anew.

The second time he met Sasuke in his female form happened a few months ago. Since their first meeting, he had sensed that Sasuke was attracted to his female form, and gambling on this possibility, he went to Sasuke to persuade him to date Sakura, his best friend. She had just rejected again by that bastard and he decided to give it a try. His deductions proved to be quite accurate, except that Sasuke was not only attracted to his female form, but he was in love with _her_. The plan was successful and Naruto, even though promised him that his female form will meet him again, never intended to do so.

He couldn't understand why he kept having the same dream. For him, as long a s Sakura kept on going out with Sasuke, there is no reason for him to do it again. Anyway, he had Hinata, that was all that mattered, he thought as he prepared for another football training session, then have lunch with his beloved girlfriend.

* * *

Please review, and tell me whether it is good or bad, ok?Thanks a hell bunch! 


	2. The Real Deal

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 2: The Real Deal

Author's notes: Sorry that I did not inform about the pairings involved here. Actually, it would be Naruto/Sasuke, eventually, but Naruto/Hinata will also be here. However, it wouldn't be a love triangle, I promise. You'll find out the reason why by the end of this chapter.

Enjoy! Thanks for reading!

* * *

'Naruto-kun, you look different today,' Hinata said. They were walking arm-to-arm to a café, just after Naruto's training.

'Oh, maybe because I failed to scored 10 penalty goals today. I normally can do a twenty,' Naruto replied, 'Or maybe because you haven't kiss me today,' saying that, he began to pout and looked away from Hinata playfully.

Hinata giggled, and said, 'Naruto-kun, neither have you.'

'Oh, isn't the girl supposed to act all cheery when the guy scores and then jumped up to him, and give him the kiss that all other are dreaming about. You make a bad cheerleader, Hinata,' Naruto teased her again.

'What if I give you something else, Naruto-kun?'

'What, we can finally have sex?'

Hinata blushed and stopped, looking down, 'Naruto-kun, stop teasing me. Or….or I won't tell you what I am giving you.'

'Fine, Hinata,' Naruto held her shoulders, and turned her towards him. He then tilted her chin, and caressed her cheek with his right hand. Hinata moved nearer to him and then placed something in his left hand.

Naruto held up the thing and saw-

'Hinata, this is a backstage pass to Ayumi Hamasaki's concert!'

Hinata twiddled her fingers and began to tremble, something that Naruto had always find adorable and affectionate. 'Err…I happened to have Neji nii-san to get it for me, and you know how much I love Ayumi, so is it ok if you go with me?'

'Sure, and after that we shall go to a hotel and…'

Hinata reddened and threaten to walk away from him. 'Naruto-kun…I…'

Naruto chased after her, then pulled her towards her and kissed her lightly. He loved it everytime they kissed, it felt like heaven. Hinata never demanded anything, and never doubted him. Even though he always teased her by trying to get her into bed, he actually never wanted her to do that. He wanted their first time to be really special, no force, no unwillingness.

They parted, and Naruto saw Sasuke staring at him.

They stared at each other for a moment. And then Sasuke, without saying anything, left both of them.

'Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun is weird today, right?'

* * *

It had been a great Sunday morning for Sasuke, until the moment he saw his rival, Naruto kissing his long-time girlfriend. Something about that bothered him.

He had asked Sakura out, only to tell her that he wanted to break up with her.

_'Sasuke-kun, what have I done wrong?' Sakura was close to tears. 'Was I not good enough for you? Was I not pretty enough?' Sakura sobbed as she said all those, 'Wasn't I satisfying enough?'_

_'No, Sakura. The truth is I loved another girl. You've met her. It is your cousin, Nanako.' Sasuke said in his usual cold manner._

_Sakura looked blank, as if she had never known of a cousin. 'What are you saying, Sasuke-kun? I don't have-'_

_'Please tell her that I want to meet her, ok?' Sasuke prepared to leave, 'I need to train, there' s a big season opener next week. Excuse me.'_

It was easy actually, all he needed is to get his mind back into the right places, instead of losing it whenever Nanako is around.

It was easy, to figure out how to see her again. She had met him to get Sakura what she wanted – him as her boyfriend. She is bent on protecting Sakura, appeared to him when he rejected Sakura. All he have to do now, is to reject her again, and she'll come.

He wasn't actually going for practices. He was just simply avoiding Sakura. He had not grown to love her, but to feel sick to be around her. He gave in to her seduction because he thought, in a delusion, that she was Nanako. It was a big mistake.

Sasuke was still feeling relieved, until he spotted his rival, Naruto, and his girlfriend. They were apparently playing around, teasing each other, and their little teasing game ended in a sweet kiss. Damn him, why does he get all the attention and all the bliss and happiness?

His position as a best striker in the football team is in constant threat because of him, nobody realizes it, but he worked hard in order to keep up with his progress. But still, Naruto is always the one praised to be the most improved, most stamina, most spirited, blah blah blah. Not enough with it, he has to be happy, having a long-time girlfriend and always seemed to be disgustingly all over each other. She was always there when Naruto's training, giving him her support, always there in her every game, always there for him.

Not that Sakura doesn't do all that – she does it even when they haven't officially dated.

It's the notion that Naruto, unlike him, has found the one girl he loves, who also loved him back – Sasuke's girl never loved him back, as he thought bitterly about Nanako again.

* * *

They were in Naruto's apartment, snuggling each other, watching the latest episode of One Tree Hill.

_'Brooke, I could be the guy for you, because I love you. I love you, Brooke Davis,' said Lucas, the character played by Chad Michael Murray. _

'_Believe me, before long you'll see that I am the guy for you.'_

'Hinata,' called Naruto, nuzzling towards his girlfriend.

'Yes, Naruto-kun?'

Naruto kissed gently on the neck and whispered, 'am I the guy for you?'

Hinata didn't answer, instead she moved closer to Naruto and kissed him passionately on the lips after saying 'What do you think?'

They did not say a word, and kept kissing until-

RING!!! RING!!

Naruto's phone rang.

'Oh, shoot! Who dares call me at this hour, when I'm with you?' Naruto faked a pout.

'Take the call, Naruto-kun,' ordered Hinata sweetly.

'Always at your service, m'am!' He put on a salute gesture and answered the called.

'Hello?'

A sobbing sound was what Naruto heard.

'Hello, who is this?'

'Tsk…..Naruto…'

'God, Sakura? What happened?'

'Could you come over? Please?' Sakura sobbed.

'Is there anything wrong?'

'Just come, ok?' she cried harder.

'Alright, be there in ten.'

Naruto turned off the call and turn to Hinata. 'Honey, I'm sorry-'

Hinata wrapped her arms around Naruto, and said 'Heard it, it's ok. Sakura needs you, go to her. See you on Monday.'

'Look, I'll send you home first, ok? What if a pervert is roaming around?'

'You are the pervert…Alright, be quick. Sakura will probably need a psychiatrist now. Go and treat her, Dr. Naruto-kun.'

This is why Naruto loves her to death, she's ever so understanding.

* * *

'Naruto, why is it always like this? Why is it that Sasuke-kun will never like me?' Sakura cried, being comforted by Naruto.

'You know, Naruto, I just lost it to him last week, he was enjoying it. He is mine, but why did he say he wanted to break up with me?' She said, while wiping her tears. Naruto held her closer.

'It's okay, Sakura. He is a bastard, and he do not know how to appreciate you. You are a nice girl-'

'Apparently not nice enough for him, Naruto! He said he loved someone else, Naruto. He screwed me and then he said he loved my cousin! Naruto,' at this point she began to behave in a frantic manner, 'someone is seducing him, Naruto. Someone is stealing him, Naruto, and pretend to be my cousin! Naruto, someone is doing that behind my back!'

Naruto was stunned. So he is still with the deal, he wants him; no, he wants _her_. He broke up with Sakura because Naruto has not been following the deal, and to force _her_ into submission. Submission to him, that Sasuke.

'Naruto, what am I supposed to do? I gave him everything, and he loved someone else…'

Naruto knew just what to do.

* * *

'So you came, pretty girl.'

Nanako looked at Sasuke, who was pouring himself a glass of vodka. 'Have a glass, sweetie.'

Nanako pushed the glass away, 'No, thanks.'

'Come on, drink. Uchiha Sasuke never accepts refusal.' He held it up for her.

Nanako remained cold and unthreathen. 'Well, Mr. Uchiha, I'm afraid you have to just accept this refusal, and live with it. There are things that you can't force even if you want to.'

'You know, you are just my type,' Sasuke said as he gulped some of the vodka.

'What, hard to get?'

'No, doesn't take alcohol.'

Nanako immediately drank the glass of vodka Sasuke just offered.

Sasuke, apparently amused, laughed. 'Just as I thought, you are just my type- a girl who kicks ass. Girls who throw themselves to me- they are not fun, not attractive. But you, you resist me. A girl who resist Sasuke, the hottest guy in Konoha- you,' Sasuke moved closer, his face flushed from the alcoholic effects, 'is just so irresistible.'

'Whatever, I'm here for a deal, remember? Not to flirt with you,' Naruto answered coldly.

'You broke the earlier deal. And I thought I told you, the deal won't be good if it doesn't involve me and you together. So how are you going to bargain?' Sasuke laughed.

'I would rather not bargain,' Sasuke is starting to get on Nanako's nerves. It is no wonder they say that Konoha's hottest guy is also Konoha's biggest flirt, 'more bargain is not necessarily going to guarantee better deal.'

'What is it about me that you find it hard to accept?' Sasuke asked, seemingly a bit disappointed, 'Why is it that you refused blankly to see me? Am I such a jerk?'

'You want to know why? I find you extremely arrogant, and that makes you a turn-off. You were hot, definitely, but you seem to think that girls are not worth your time, and seemed to be having fun breaking their hearts one-by-one, pieces-by-pieces,' Nanako headed towards the bottle of vodka, 'Mind if I help myself?' pouring more to her glass, 'Perhaps no one had ever broken you heart before, and that is why you cannot take it when there is one who refused you.'

Sasuke looked appalled, and Nanako smirked victoriously, 'Typical rich guy. Spoilt with everything, full of everything. You know, guys like you get girls in your bed easily, and I bet they won't even ask for payment in return. But, you will never find love, because in that corrupted mind of yours, it is always about sex. Am I right?'

'You always assume things, don't you? You were basically saying that I was wrong in deciding that I am in love with you. Correct?' Sasuke was not shaken by Nanako's speech of insults.

'Ah, looked like your intelligence does pay off. I am surprised,' Nanako mocked a face of surprise, 'Then, I suppose you will try to say that I am not just any other girl, how you want me….but all you want is a night of passion. What does brats like you know about love, other than it involved sex?'

'You still blame me for what happened between me and Sakura. But, weren't you the one who insisted that there are things that you cannot force even if you wanted to?' Sasuke said, 'Wasn't my fault that things between me and her is not working out.'

Nanako felt a shot in her head. How dare he twists things around!

'You know, honey,' Sasuke continued, moving closer to her, pulled her towards him, 'you and I both have things to offer. I can still continue to be your cousin Sakura's lover. I can still pretend that I love her. In exchange, all I ask is a chance to prove to you that whatever you said is completely wrong.'

'I am going to prove to you that I am the one for you.' Sasuke leaned on to kiss her. Nanako froze, not knowing what to do. She hates him, with all her heart, but, for some reason, she cannot take such close proximity with Sasuke. He made her feel helpless, and everything he did was to make her give in to him, submit to him fully. Nanako, hated to say it, but somehow, she knew now what is it about Sasuke that girls find irresistible. She thought about Hinata, and wondered whether _he_ made Hinata felt that way.

The thought of Hinata woke Nanako up. She pushed Sasuke away.

'Is there another guy? Is he the reason that you don't love me?'

'I don't even like you, don't talk about love. What do you know about love anyway?' Nanako wanted to leave the place, 'Fine, if you can stay with Sakura, what do you want from me?'

Sasuke handed her a phone, brand new cellphone. 'Keep this phone, I want to be able to contact you, talk to you.' His eyes began a look of determination, 'you know, from today onwards, I am going to woo you, until you fall for me, hard. I am definitely not giving up until you do.'

Nanako, and _Naruto_ is so in trouble.

* * *

Boys are so hard to understand.

Yesterday, Sakura broke up with her boyfriend, Sasuke. Then today, Monday, he just walked over to her and then, they kissed and made up.

_'Morning, Sakura.' She'd never seen her ex-boyfriend so happy. What does he want with her?_

_'Sasuke-kun, what are you doing here-'_

_Sakura did not get to finish her sentence. He leaned down to kiss her hard and held her tight. Sakura was overcome with the feelings of shock, but a pleasant one. _

_'I'm sorry, Sakura. I shouldn't have hurt you so much. Please forgive me. I realized that we should be together. I'm so stupid. Would you take me back?' he whispered. _

_Sakura, whose eyes swelled from crying, began crying again. 'It's ok, Sasuke-kun. I love you; please remember that, Sasuke-kun.'_

_'I do, all the time. Thanks, Sakura.'_

Sakura almost leaped to her class, where he met with Rock Lee, who tried to snag a date with her in high school, unsuccessfully.

'Morning , Lee-san!'

'You are in high spirit, Sakura-san! Burst of youth! In its prime!' Lee said, in his usual enthusiastic demeanor. Sakura laughed at Lee's funny antique. He used to be the class clown, with his weird clothes (he had jumpsuits all the time), and overly enthusiastic words. Sakura felt very awkward around him before, but now that he got used to him, he is pretty much a nice guy.

'You know, Lee-san. I'm surprised that you're still single. You know, girls like funny guys like you,' Sakura teased him.

'Girls like you, apparently, not. Morning, Miss Hypocrite,' a voice interrupted them. It was Ino, another of Sakura's best friend. Unlike Lee, Ino's always sarcastic and for the untrained ears, it could seem that Ino and Sakura are in bad terms, but, they were really only teasing, no hard feelings intended. Truth is, Sakura and Ino used to be bitter rivals, both fighting for Sasuke. Both were unsuccessful, however, as Sasuke showed no interest in both of them. Their rivalry was at the peak during their high school freshman years, when both were in the cheerleading team, and then Ino was selected over Sakura as the next captain. However, when a new girl, Kin Tsuchi, moved to Konoha High fron Oto High, Ino's position was in jeopardy. Kin was a bitch who will do anything to get whatever she wanted, including poisoning Ino, and wrongly accused her of stealing Shikamaru away from her. They united to drive Kin away from the squad, and renewed their friendship. Ino had then settled for Akimichi Chouji, the rugby captain. Chouji, however, did not attend Konoha University, but was investing in the development of his family's restaurant.

'Hypocrite, Ino? Someone's just jealous that her boyfriend isn't here,' Sakura answered back.

'Speaking of boyfriends, you guys made up? Sorry that I can't make it yesterday, Chouji was admitted to hospital. Food poisoning,' said Ino, as both girls are settling in their seats.

'Yeah, sort of.'

'Good, you'll look less like a panda,' Ino said, taking out a mirror, 'Honestly, repair your make up.'

Not even looking bad can spoil Sakura's mood.

* * *

'We've got a game against the Suna this weekend! Tough season opener, but you guys can do it! We missed out on a few goals for them to win the championship last season. I cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes. We cannot afford! We gotta buck up on the defense. Shikamaru, never again score own goals. Neji, mark the opponent closely! You can be a very good on the right, so I'm putting you on the right. And Naruto and Sasuke,' the football team manager, Gai headed towards both said man, 'stop fighting unnecessarily. Please. Youth does not wait, win the championship PEACEFULLY!'

'Guys, head home and get a rest, I shall see you guys tomorrow,' Gai concluded his after training prep talk.

The boys went to the changing room, and freshen up themselves.

'Naruto, you got it again, from Coach Gai,' said Kiba, a defender as well.

'Yeah, sucks. It is not like I was the one who starts the fight,' Naruto tied his shoelaces.

'Yeah, so I do?' Sasuke's voice appeared.

Naruto did not look at him. 'I need your help, dead last!'

'Oh, the mighty Sasuke needs help from the dead last. Woo-hoo! Wonder what is it about-'

Sasuke pounded on Naruto and pushed him towards the locker. 'Shut up, ok!'

'Wow, pretty nice way to ask for help,' other boys started to stay away from them, they had known that it is best to stay away from the two when they start their next plan to murder each other, 'Huh, Sasuke? Why are you so angry about, Mr. Impulsive?' Naruto looked at him intensely.

For a moment, Sasuke looked at him, right into the eyes, then, with a weird expression, he let go of him.

'Really, Sasuke. Smart people don't fight. Imagine what will it do to your reputation! Oh, Sasuke-kun hits people-'

Naruto did not get to finish his impersonation of Sasuke's fangirls because-

'Your eyes, its beautiful.'

Naruto freaked out. He started to look around and found that nobody's around. He began to suspect-

'Gee, are you gay, Sasuke?'

Sasuke looked at him murderously.

'Ok, fine. You're not gay. But, I'm beautiful. Alright. No gays.' Naruto tried to calm him and himself. Hinata doesn't like it when he fights with Sasuke.

'Hey, dead last, can I ask you something?'

'What?'

'You know, I just wanted to know, you know-'

'You want to know whether I'm gay too?'

Sasuke glared at him.

'Fine. But first explain what's with the beautiful eyes,' Naruto enjoyed teasing him.

'Your eyes happen to remind me of someone. That is it,' he answered shortly.

Naruto had given no thoughts about the possibility that Sasuke might find out Nanako's true identity. It is scientifically illogical and impossible for a man to turn into a woman, and being a top student, that is what Naruto assumed Sasuke would think. But he had recognized Nanako in him, and If he is not careful, he may be able to guess the truth.

'How do you get Hinata?'

'Girl-hunting tips, huh?' Naruto was correct, Sasuke knew nothing of love.

'Just tell me, alright? It's for Sakura.'

Liar, Naruto thought. Nevertheless, Naruto said to him, 'Sincerity plays a role. Get her gifts, take her for a romantic dinner….gee, don't tell me you don't know all that.'

'I knew it will a mistake asking you,' Sasuke said, leaving the changing room with his belongings.

Naruto felt weird in telling Sasuke how to get him, _her_. He headed home because Hinata had an appointment with the doctor. Ever since she was young, she had a problem with asthma, and it seemed that it recent years, it returned to plague her.

* * *

_'Hinata, does anyone knew about it?' Hinata shook her head._

_'Please, Hinata. You cannot keep this secret any longer, given your condition-'_

Hinata walked home alone after her therapy. She had been undergoing therapy for a few months and she doesn't want her boyfriend Naruto to know about it.

She loved Naruto. He's a sweet guy, but that wasn't why she loved him.

He was an orphan, and people in school used to make fun of him because he doesn't have a parent to guide him. He used to have a crush on Sakura, and Sakura refused to acknowledge him. But, no matter what other people says, Naruto never gave up on being the best, he'll work hard, and go for his dreams. He wasn't accepted into the football team at first, but he trained by himself every evening to improve himself.

Hinata knew, because she used to watch him train. Hinata suffered from low self-esteem. By watching him, by seeing how he always believe in his own perceived self-worth, powered up her own self-belief. She had always watch him in admiration, and learned how not to give up.

Naruto had taught her a lot about life, about not giving up.

They finally got together in high school, when he finally got over his crush for Sakura. But, Hinata always felt that he had never actually gotten over Sakura. Despite the fact that he always wanted to be with her, he had always cared for Sakura, and will always be there for her when he needs her.

Perhaps he is always thinking how good life would be if his girlfriend was Sakura. Perhaps he had always loved Sakura. Perhaps he had always been waiting for Sakura.

Perhaps Hinata had always been the second choice.

Hinata thought sadly about the stinging words of the doctor, telling her about informing her loved ones about her condition.

She had refused to acknowledge it herself, because she doesn't want to leave Naruto. In her condition, they could no longer be together. She loved Naruto too much to hurt him with such news.

Hinata is struck by leukemia and her remaining lifespan is approximately-

Three months.

* * *

That's it for now, I'll update soon! If you feel like telling me how you like (or not) the story, do not hesitate to drop me a review!

Thanks!


	3. Of Secrets and Dates

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 3: Of Secrets and Dates

Author's notes: Pairings are NaruSasu and NaruHina. As I said it is not going to be a love triangle.

* * *

'Naruto-kun!' Hinata called.

'Yes, honey?' Naruto rushed towards her and gave her a hug. 'Been missing you.'

It was after their last lecture for the day, and they were supposed to be having lunch together after that.

'Naruto-kun, I need to see the doctor at 12 today-'

'Oh, you're calling our date off?' Naruto sulked, and said, 'Hinata, I'm so jealous of the doctor, he gets to see you more often than I do. What if you don't like me anymore-'

'Naruto-kun, the doctor is a woman!'

'Oh, I see. You never tell me,' Naruto pretended to slap his forehead, '12pm, huh? Let me send you there.'

'Thanks, Naruto-kun,' Hinata said.

They walked to the hospital, and Naruto suddenly had a question for Hinata.

'Hinata, do you want me to go with you? To meet the doctor?' Naruto was skeptical about her health. It seemed impossible to him that a mere asthma could create such frequent visits to the hospital. He had began to worry about her since her asthma return, but never show it out, because Hinata would always say-

'No, Naruto-kun. I'll be able to handle it, don't worry.'

They reached the hospital, where Naruto will drop her. They looked at each other for a while, Naruto giving her a peck on the cheek. 'Tell me if there is anything wrong, alright? Love you.'

Somehow, Naruto felt that whatever illness Hinata's having, it is not just plain asthma.

* * *

Naruto was taking his afternoon nap when he heard the ringtone of his new handphone, given by Sasuke. Panicked, he transformed himself to make sure that he will sound like a woman.

'Are you free tonight, honey?'

'No, I have to sleep.' Nanako answered coldly.

Sasuke, undisturbed, laughed, 'You entertain me to no ends.'

'I don't remember having a career as a comedian. What do you want?'

'6.30pm, I'll come over, where do you stay?'

'No, I'll come over. You don't want Sakura to find out.' In reality, Nanako doesn't want Sasuke to find out that her apartment is actually Naruto's apartment.

'All set. I'll be waiting, love.' And he ended the call.

* * *

Sasuke watched his date eating. She dressed plainly, apparently to impress nobody. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she was wearing no make-ups. It appeared to him that she was trying to look as ugly as she can, so that Sasuke will be turned off. Too bad, he thought, he had already been smitten.

After their dinner, they went out to have a stroll by the town park, when Sasuke has a sudden suggestion.

'Hey, how long has it been since the last time you went to the playground?'

Nanako looked at him, puzzled at his sudden bizarre question. Then, she lowered her face and answered sadly, 'I've never been to a playground. There was anyone to watch over me. Parents died when I was two. I stayed alone in the house.' She then lifted her head, and continued, 'I was lonely. Nobody plays with me.'

Sasuke was surprised. So she's an orphan, and lonely. He understood the pain well. His brother, Itachi was always deeply immersed in his own things, and never really cared for Sasuke. His parents, he only see them once a year, they are always traveling around the world for their family business. Sasuke was always left alone, with the care of the maids and servants.

'Yeah, so I've never been to the playground. Big deal. Why do you care anyway?' she asked suddenly.

Sasuke had a sudden desire to be impulsive. He pulled her along, and together they ran to the playground.

Panting, Nanako said, 'You are crazy. What do you want to do?'

Sasuke motioned to the swing and said, 'Get on the swing.'

She looked even more puzzled.

Sasuke pulled her towards the swing and made her sit on it. 'Get ready,' he said to her. Then, without warning, he pushed the swing she was sitting on as hard as he can.

She screamed at such sudden flight into the air.

'Sasuke, you bastard, what are you trying to, put me down!' Sasuke laughed, 'Put me DOWN!'

When she reached the original position, he caught the swing, and said, 'Isn't it fun?' and swung as hard as he can.

'Please put me down!' But not long after that, she began to laugh too, and seemed to enjoy the game.

* * *

Both Nanako and Sasuke were back into their childhood. Sasuke was especially delighted to see Nanako laughed sincerely, enjoying the moments with him- their moments.

They were sitting on a bench, and panting after some excitement. Sasuke looked at her, prompting her response, 'What are you looking at?'

'You know, I've never seen you smiling for me. Never heard you laughing for me. Now that I have seen it, I want to see it more often.'

'I'm smiling because you're such a stupid guy.'

'Well, if me being stupid made you smile, then I shall be a fool for the rest of my life. I don't mind.'

Nanako smirked and say, 'Haha, funny. Uchiha Sasuke, future comedian. What a waste for Konoha's top student. Wonder what will his fangirls say. Oh Sasuke-kun, how could you be a comedian, that doesn't suit you at all-'

Sasuke was reminded of a certain rival at these acts.

'You know, Nanako. You sounded like my rival, Naruto.'

For an unknown reason, she turned green at the mention of the name, and Sasuke can't help asking, 'What, you know him?'

She hesitated, and answered, 'No, I don't.'

Sasuke was not convinced, but he didn't want to force her. 'I see. He's an idiot, really.'

'But, you know what. I've always been jealous of him.' Sasuke stood up and said.

'And why is that? If he is an idiot, what does he have that you don't, to make you jealous of him?' Nanako asked, 'a brat like you, just as I thought, is insatiable. I presume that a guy like you is the happiest man in the world, and yet,' at this Sasuke turned to look at her, 'You are still craving for more-'

'Love,' he answered shortly, and sat back on the bench again. He held up his palm to her face, and caressed it softly. 'He had a long-time girlfriend, and they loved each other. I do not.'

Nanako replied, 'I'm surprised.'

'But I'm smitten, Nanako,' Sasuke's other hand searched for hers and held it tight. 'I found one that I loved, but I do not know whether she loved me back,' Sasuke took her hand, kissing it, and then held it to his face. She looked down, and then Sasuke seized the godsent chance. He leaned down to her, and gave her feather-light kisses on her neck.

Sasuke felt her shivering, and he held her closer. He guided both her hands to his neck and his own reached for her waist. His lips moved to hers as he felt her skin closer to his own. He deepened the kiss, and began to be able to feel what she tasted like. She tasted like candybar, sweet but enjoyable. She moaned, but Sasuke did not let go. The kiss was too good for him to let the moment pass by.

* * *

Sakura was running an errand for her mother. She does not have a date tonight with Sasuke, he had wanted to study for his upcoming exam. She does not mind, as he had suggested that they take things slowly, and not rushing for sex everytime they meet.

Even though she's back with her boyfriend, she's restraining to ask about the so-called third party. She's afraid that if she asked, they will never be back together again. She almost did, but held back.

It was on the night after they made up, and they met up in Sasuke's room.

_Sakura sat on Sasuke's bed and began to undress herself. 'Sasuke-kun, is it really true that you did not love me anymore?'_

_Sasuke hugged her from behind and helped her unbutton her shirt. He pushed the shirt down and began to nuzzle her neck. 'That doesn't matter anymore, Sakura. I'm here for you.'_

_Sakura turned to face him, 'But Sasuke-kun, what about the girl-'_

_He put a finger on her lips, motioned her to silent. 'The only girl I have is you.' Sakura felt herself melted, and gave him a kiss. _

Sakura had always feel insecure, and now even more so. Even though Sasuke is her boyfriend, she had always feared the 'What ifs'. What if there is another girl who will snatch Sasuke away from her? What if Sasuke never really liked her? What if Sasuke liked another girl?

Sometimes she felt stupid, thinking about all these questions, because perhaps they don't exist. But, seeing how there are so many girls who had secretly loved him, it may be possible that there are schemes to break them off.

Sakura shrugged off these thoughts and continued her journey home. Seeing that it is already late, she took a shorter route home.

Then, she heard a familiar voice. Her boyfriend, Sasuke's voice.

She followed the voice, into the bushes, and then to the playground, and saw-

Sasuke kissing another girl. Passionately. Intimately.

Her boyfriend kissing her best friend.

Sasuke was kissing Naruto's female form.

* * *

Nanako held on tight to Sasuke. She had hated him, loathed him and his guts. But he had made her happy. He took her to the playground, and they played like two little children. Nanako had imagined him taking her to a restaurant, and then trying to get her into bed, but what happened was what she had not imagined would come out from the Uchiha's inflated, egoistic brain.

They moved closer to each other, and Nanako was once again reminded of Sasuke's silly antiques. Coincidentally, they way he had acted reminded him of herself in front of Hinata. She played around with Hinata, made her feel special, acted silly and stupid to make her laugh. She understood now how Hinata feels when _Naruto_ teased her, and flirted with her.

She wondered if Hinata felt what she feels now everytime she's with _Naruto_. Right now, she felt her insides firing up, as if she's preparing to fly up to the sky. Her body felt really light, and she wanted this moment to last forever. She had enjoyed this very moment, with-

NO! She can't feel all these with Sasuke. She gave a little leap, breaking the kiss.

Sasuke scowled, but nevertheless pulled her close. 'Come on, what is it?'

'This doesn't feel right,' she said suddenly, overcome with emotions. 'Let me go.' She ran away from the bench.

'Wait!' screamed Sasuke as he chased after her.

The sky had began to rain as Nanako ran back towards her house. She find it easier to cry in her female form, especially at this time. She cursed her own fate. Why does it all had to happen? Why does she have such ability? Why does she find it hard NOT to fall for Sasuke?

Sasuke caught her in the rain.

Nanako struggled against him. 'Let me go, you bastard! Let me go! I cannot do that with you. I cannot….'

Sasuke stopped her struggle and hugged her. 'Please realize that I'm not forcing you. Take your time, I'll wait for you.'

Nanako cried hard in Sasuke's arms. It wasn't a matter of force, it is a matter of not being able to keep herself from falling for Sasuke.

She cannot do that. Nanako and Naruto both loved Hinata. And a certain Uchiha Sasuke is not going to change that.

She began to wonder if it is possible to have each form of herself, male and female loving two different persons.

* * *

Sakura was clutching her heart and crying in the rain.

She was certain of who Sasuke was kissing just now.

She had seen Naruto's female form once. She had kept it a secret because nobody else knew about it, including Naruto himself. She saw it once, when they were still in high school, and Sakura was surprised to find him lying in the bed as a girl. Iruka had explained that it was due to a mistake in sealing the fox spirit in her, and due to a misadventure the night before, he had ended up as girl, with a broken leg.

Iruka had begged to keep it a secret, and since then Sakura buried that piece of information inside her mind, and it was left forgotten.

Little did she knew that he would use it against her, to seduce her boyfriend.

To take him away from her.

To betray her.

* * *

_'Hinata, there is no chance of surviving.' _

_'Dr, Tsunade, I'm not giving up. Please tell me where I can get treatment.'_

_'Hinata, I'm the best in leukemia in the whole of Osaka. I definitely wouldn't lie to you.'_

_Hinata broke down in tears. 'Dr, I really love him very much, and I love my family very much. I do not want them to know.'_

Hinata had just finished telling her family about her terminal disease. They were not uninformed, just not on her remaining time to live. Her father, did not say anything, while her sister cried and declared that she is going to be the best sister ever. She had begged them, including her closest cousin, Neji to keep it a secret from her boyfriend, because she knew what kind of reactions that Naruto will give.

She rummaged through her closet and found a little chocolate box, (a gift from Naruto) which contain all their pictures, digitally printed. There was a picture of them celebrating her 16th birthday with their friends, also the day which brought her closer to her cousin Neji. Neji and her family had been in estrangement for years, so long that she couldn't recall the occasion that caused it. On that day, Naruto had fought with Neji, making him realize that it was never Hinata's fault to begin with, and nothing of family feud should come in when it is to celebrate her birthday. Hinata smiled as she recalled how he had refused to let her wiped the blood off his face, after the duel, and insisted of eating the cake.

Then there was another picture, about them both eating ice-creams in the Tokyo Disneyland. Naruto had been scared to try the Haunted Masion, but after some persuasion, he agreed. However, he went in the Mansion, closing his eyes, and constantly asking Hinata for directions, fearing the supernatural.

There was another picture, after their graduation from high school, in their robes. They had promised to enter Konoha University together, and then be together forever.

Together.

Forever.

Something that is now impossible. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she thought of her boyfriend.

She still does not want to tell him. She had been fighting the disease since she was diagnosed with it, not ready to give up. But, it seemed that the disease insisted on taking her life.

She wondered if Naruto will remember her even after she dies.

With that thought lingering in her mind, she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

'Have a chocolate drink, Sakura.' Ino offered.

Sakura did not return to her home, instead she had decided to stay the night with Ino, and told her mom that it was because of the heavy rain. She told Ino everthing, and both of them agreed that-

'Revenge, Sakura. You need to teach him a lesson.'

'How, Ino?' Sakura said, 'I am out of ideas. I had never thought even about the possibility that she would take Sasuke away.'

'She's not a girl, Sakura. You know, if he's a girl, he would have known that the girlworld rule of thumb- get your ass of your best friend's boyfriend.'

'Yeah, Ino, I know she's not a girl, but-'

'Then all we need to do is to make him realize what is like to be a real girl.'

Sakura had no time to figure to real meaning behind Ino's suggestion as-

Chouji stormed into the room.

'Hey, Ino, Sakura!'

'Chouji!' Ino rushed forward to her boyfriend, 'What a pleasant surprise! When did you check out?'

'Today, I came to check on you. How's my baby doing?' Chouji returned the hug.

"Err, not good,' Ino said, motioning to Sakura, 'Big boyfriend-kissed-another-girl case.'

'Ok, seemed to me that there are a lot of girly problems lately, I met Hinata today and she looked sad too, and that was after she met Dr Tsunade-'

'Say what?' Sakura was shocked by the revelation.

* * *

Sakura and Ino was in front of Ino's laptop, trying to hack into Konoha Hospital's system. Ino's father was one of the hospital's directors and they had hacked into the system a few times for their assignment.

'Tsunade, Tsunade…here it is.' Ino clicked on the name.

Sakura read, 'A renowned specialist in hemodialysis, and especially in leukemia.' Sakura looked at Ino, 'so Hinata had leukemia?'

'Let's check,' Ino searched for patients profile and typed 'Hyuuga Hinata, and-

'Hyuuga Hinata, updated medical records. Leukemia, terminal stage.'

They looked at each other, before Ino declared, 'tell him first and foremost, what is like to have your heart broken.'

* * *

_As usual, Hinata reached for the exit door after her usual physiotherapy, and met-_

_'Hi, Sakura.'_

_'Hinata, Ino's father told her that you're…' Sakura's face fell, 'Hinata, tell me what's wrong.'_

_Hinata cannot stop sobbing into Sakura's shoulder._

'Hinata, I'm sorry. What are you going to do about Naruto?'

'Sakura, please do not tell him. He doesn't know yet!' Hinata spoke frantically.

'But, someday, he'll have to know,' Sakura replied.

Hinata continued to cry, 'But, I do not want him to be sad. I want him to be happy, even if I die, he has to be happy.'

'He had changed my life, Sakura. He taught me to never give up, never give in. And yet, I am now losing to this disease.'

'Do you love him, Hinata?'

'Yes, I do, very much. That's why I do not want him to suffer because of me. He had suffered enough from his past. His orphaned childhood, being shunned by everyone, nobody acknowledging him. Now that he's popular, smart, and a great footballer, I do not want him to cry for me.'

'Hinata, what do you want?'

Hinata wiped her tears and said with steel determination, 'I want him to be happy. No matter what the cost.'

'Leave him, Hinata. Leave him. Let him forget you, and by the time you are leaving, he won't feel it anymore.'

* * *

It was a Saturday, and Hinata told him that she'll be spending the weekend with her grandparents in Hokkaido. So that leaves him to spend his entire weekend with-

Sasuke.

Naruto cannot help thinking about how weird Hinata had behaved. She stopped coming to see him practice, and did not even show up at his season opener game against Suna, in which they nearly lost, but luckily, by the combined attacking prowess of Sasuke and Naruto, they managed a injury-time goal, and they won 2-1.

She had been strangely avoiding for the past few days, and then she cancelled off their dates in favour of her asthma treatment. Naruto swore to himself that he'll never ask Hinata of her private matters, but he got the feeling that somehow, Hinata will be leaving him.

However, at the moment, the bigger problem involved dealing with Sasuke.

He had just invited _her_ for a weekend in the suburban area of Osaka, where he claimed that was his tutor, Kakashi's birthplace.

He actually wanted to turn the invitation down, but he somehow did not want to.

Deep inside him, he was anticipating for Sasuke's next move.

* * *

Sasuke was waiting for Nanako in the bus station, and he was buying some snacks for their weekend in Kakashi's village.

_'Gee, superstar. Who told you that my village is a romantic place?' Kakashi said, reading Come Come Paradise._

_'Don't ask; just let me stay the weekend in your parent's place, ok?'_

_'Looks like I cannot refuse. Right?'_

_'Thanks for realizing.'_

Nanako finally arrived at the station, and after presenting the tickets, they hopped on the bus.

As the bus began to move, Sasuke put his arms on her shoulder and-

CLICK!

'What was that for?'

'A picture,' still having his hands on her shoulder, said 'Aren't we just perfect for each other?'

'Yeah, maybe after you've learnt your manners,' said an irritated Nanako.

* * *

It was a tiring three hour ride on the bus, and by the time they reached kakashi's village, it was already nightfall.

They had dinner with Kakashi's parents, and went separate ways to freshen up.

Not long after that, Nanako heard a ring.

She looked outside her room window, and found Sasuke in a-

'Sasuke, what are you doing with a bicycle?'

'Sasuke, with a smirk, said 'Hop on!'

Nanako did what he said, and-

'AHHHHHH!' The bicycle's speed was more than she can handle. To prevent herself from falling, she held tight on Sasuke's waist.

Sasuke repositioned her hands, with a victorious smile.

Sasuke was indeed an unpredictable person. Nanako found herself enjoying the bicycle ride with him, as he took her to a grassy field.

'What is so special about this place?' Nanako asked.

'This is where I used to come and watch the stars, during school holidays. The reason I bring you here is not just to watch the stars, but because there will be a meteor rain tonight.'

Nanako found herself feeling slightly disgusted at his sudden cheesiness. 'Gee, was that like a pick-up line from some romantic movie? Over-cheesed and over-glucosed!'

Sasuke put a finger on her lips, asking her to keep quiet. He then bent to catch her in a liplock.

Nanako always find it hard to resist Sasuke's kiss. He always touched her with such gentleness, such passion that she had never felt before. Somehow, even though she hated to admit it, she loved everything about Sasuke's kisses. The way he looked, when he leaned towards her. The way he kiss like he wanted every inch of her.

Nanako then saw a blinding light flashed in front of her eyes, and Sasuke broke the kiss.

'You know what they say about meteor rains? If you kiss your loved ones before a meteor rain, you will be together forever.'

Nanako squirmed at the idea of them together forever. But she watched the shower of lights nevertheless.

Sasuke held in a way so that he was holding her from behind and said, 'Make a wish, pretty girl. It'll come true.'

Nanako wished that Naruto and Hinata would be together forever.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews, please keep reading cos I've more chapters and not intending to end it so soon!

However, I felt like Sasuke's a bit out of character…

He's actually modeled after my ex-boyfriend, and Naruto's actually modeled after my dream guy…

Tell me what you think, ok?

I just wanted Sasuke to not remain a cold-hearted fellow….perhaps there is indeed a romantic side in him after all…

Updates will be sooner than you think!


	4. The breakups

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 4: The Break-ups

Author's notes: Pairings are NaruSasu and NaruHina. As I said, it is not going to be a love triangle. Thanks for the reviews!

Enjoy the next chappie!

* * *

Naruto cannot believe his ears.

'Hinata, what are you talking about?' Naruto was stunned by his girlfriend's words.

'Naruto-kun, I find it hard to love you anymore, I find myself falling out of love-'

'LIAR! You can't be telling me this, Hinata!' Naruto shouted in front of the changing room after another training session. He had been ecstatic to her at the end of his training, only to find her declaring that she wanted a break-up.

'Naruto-kun, I am sorry,' Hinata looked down, eyes reddening.

'No, Hinata. Don't be sorry, tell me what's wrong,' Naruto insisted, 'You must be hiding something. Please, Hinata.' Naruto said, holding up her face to his.

'Naruto-kun, I'm in love with another person, please forgive me.'

With that, she walked away from him, leaving him shocked and speechless.

* * *

Sakura watched the Naruto-Hinata break-up drama with interest. Apparently Hinaya is a bad liar, and she knew Naruto wouldn't believe such a lie.

After she ran away, Saukra was sure of one thing: Plan A: Get Naruto Heartbroken is a success.

Even if Naruto insisted of not breaking up, she knew Hinata would want to break up. Hinata, even though shy and quiet, is definitely persistent and determined.

How is it like, Naruto? Sakura asked him in her mind, as she headed towards Sasuke.

* * *

Sasuke walked home alone, grateful that his annoying girlfriend is not following like a glue. He has insisted that he needed a rest after the training and that he needed to complete his latest assignment. She was surprisingly obedient, left home with her friend, Ino.

He had witnessed his rival Naruto breaking up with his girlfriend today. To his surprise, he did not feel any contentment watching them. He had been jealous at him, finding the love of his life and all, he wished that they will break up one day. However, they day had come and he felt sorry for his rival.

For him, Naruto had always been a rival, but he is also the truest friend he ever had. Despite their constant squabbles, they actually worked well together on the field, and constantly coming up with surprisingly great tactics together. And that is why Sasuke had chosen to ask him for advises regarding Nanako.

Perhaps, neither of them wanted to lose to each other, or perhaps they are just being egoistic. Perhaps, neither of them wanted to acknowledge the subtle friendship between both of them.

He finally arrived at his home, and found himself hearing his servant telling him that-

'Sasuke-sama, Nanako-chan is waiting in your room for you.'

Sasuke went up to his room, and found the lights turned off. He turned the doorknob and turn on the lights, only to find Nanako sitting in a corner, crying.

Sasuke rushed to her side, and asked, 'What is wrong, sweetie?'

She looked at him, with red, swollen eyes, with such intensity that he had never seen, and apparently refused to say anything. He wiped her tears off her cheeks with his handkerchief, and gently ran his fingers through her hair.

Somehow, Sasuke felt like he didn't want to know what exactly is bothering her, and now, all he wanted was for whatever troubling her to leave her side.

'It would all be ok,' he said as he settle down beside her, and holding her to his chest, 'if it saddens you, cry out loud, and I'll be here for you.'

She began to sob against Sasuke's chest, and say, 'Is it ok, if I stay here for the night?'

'Of course. You don't have to ask.'

She cried even harder, and clutched tighter to him. It pained Sasuke to see her in such a depressed mood, and held her closer to him.

Without speaking much, they spent the night in each other's arms.

* * *

Hinata spent the next day trying her best to avoid Naruto. Naruto tried to catch her eyes, but Hinata looked away everytime she catch a glimpse of him.

It was hard breaking up with him, and Hinata cried her night to sleep. Before she slept, she took out the chocolate box again, and looked at those pictures again. It seemed to her that it has become her daily ritual to run through those pictures before she goes to sleep. Even though they had broken up, and by right she should have forgotten him.

Forget him. Forget her Naruto.

To her, it is an impossibility.

She tried her best to remind herself that she had nothing to do with Naruto anymore, but she failed. She missed Naruto and deep inside her, she wanted his support to go through this deadly disease, but she couldn't let him suffer with her together. She had wanted him to be happy, wanted to stay by his side, wanted to be there for him, but she could do it.

Why must fate matched her up with death so early in her life?

* * *

Hinata walked home herself. She had been required to stay in the hospital, for better supervision and care, but she refused and would only think about staying in the hospital after she had resolved her problem with Naruto.

Her condition had worsened. She wasn't blind to all those symptoms. Her hairs are falling, and her face is getting paler each day. She knew it will be best to stay there, and she will – later today.

Hinata suddenly felt her head spinning and her eyesight blurred. She stopped to regain control of herself, but it somehow got worse. Things in front of her seemed to double, and she cannot recognize faces anymore.

Then, the world blanked in front of her, and she saw nothing after that.

* * *

Sasuke saw Hinata collapsed on the streets, and he immediately took her to Konoha Hospital.

Apparently, she had leukemia, and could only live for another three months, as he was informed by Tsunade, a family friend.

So that was why they broke up. That was why she broke up with him.

He looked at the unconscious Hinata and thought about how lucky Naruto is to have a Hinata. Someone who cared for him enough to not risk hurting him, but will risk losing her life.

His mind drifted to Nanako, who had came to seek him yesterday. He had been glad that she would find in him when she is distressed. She is falling for him, Sasuke was sure about it, and he found himself loving her more and more each day that he is trying to woo her.

However, he had been wondering about one thing – her real identity.

Her physical characteristics- blond hair, blue eyes; the way she spoke- everything about her reminded him of one person – Naruto.

He knew that she wasn't the cousin of Sakura. He wasn't blind towards Sakura's reactions when he asked about her, and wasn't ignorant of the way she reacted when he mentioned Naruto in front of Nanako.

But, who is she? How is she related to both Sakura and Naruto? Why did she come to him, to help Sakura?

Hinata stirred, and Sasuke was awoken with a start from his thoughts.

'Oh, Sasuke-kun?'

'Hinata, feeling better?'

'Erm…Sasuke-kun, where am i?'

* * *

Naruto rushed to the hospital, after being informed that Hinata had collapsed on the streets and that she had been sent to the hospital.

Just as he thought, Hinata's disease is not simple asthma. He had been suspecting that for some time, but he never knew that it could be this serious.

And to think that he had spent the whole two days avoiding her to the maximum.

Naruto felt a heavy pang of guilt when he thought of that.

He had been really distressed about the whole break-up incident and didn't what to think of Hinata's words. She did not know whether Hinata was really telling the truth, or perhaps there was a bigger truth that she had been hiding. Part of him wanted to know desperately who was the guy that Hinata claimed to be in love with, but part of him just wanted Hinata back, no matter if she loved another person.

He didn't know what to do, what to think, and he sought for the only person he could think of – Sasuke.

He went to Sasuke as Nanako yesterday night, and he was surprisingly tender and comforting. He knew that Sasuke could be really reliable, when it comes to Nanako, but, he never knew that he was _that_ reliable. He found himself feeling better, and he cannot help but thinking that perhaps, he had grown attached to that bastard.

Part of him, after yesterday's incident in Sasuke's wanted to give in to him, submit to him, and become a real woman. Now that he thinks about it, it was an outrageous idea.

Sasuke is the guy that he might, no, _she_ might be in love with, but now, for Naruto, it is Hinata, and she's always his first priority.

He is going to the hospital, apologize to whatever he had done wrong, and beg her to take him back, and he would not take a negative answer.

* * *

'Please, Sasuke-kun, do not tell Naruto-kun.' Hinata sobbed.

Sasuke was appalled by Hinata's actions. He guessed right, Hinata had lied to protect Naruto, but, if she was really dying, Naruto cannot afford to stay in the oblivion.

'Hinata, I cannot promise you that. As much of a rival he is to me, as much as he is an idiot, he must realize and understand what you are going through,' Sasuke insisted.

'You do not understand, Sasuke-kun! He cannot suffer because of me!' Hinata protested.

'No, Hinata, you don't understand. I am a guy, and I know that any guy would not take that into consideration. He would want you to tell him.'

Hinata wiped her tears, and said, 'Sasuke-kun, have you ever loved a girl with all your hearts, like you'll give her everything, and be there for her?'

Sasuke thought of Nanako, and asked, 'Yes, why?'

'Sasuke-kun, when I met Naruto-kun, he was being bullied by the other guys. They say that he was an orphan, and that he has no parents and that he was a weirdo. They wouldn't let him play football together with them, and he was pushed down by a big guy,' Hinata let out a chuckle in the midst of her tears, 'he was injured, but, he played football by himself. He did not let Iruka treat his injuries, and he just continued his training. He was a really stubborn boy back then.'

'But I learned something, Sasuke-kun. He said to me, by all those actions, that you cannot give up, and never let others see the weak side of yours,' Hinata continued, 'I do not want look weak, and most of all, I do not want him to look weak again, to suffer. He had enough suffering as a child, and if he forgets about me, he won't feel the pain of losing his loved ones again.'

Sasuke thought about her words, and felt that if he were in Hinata's shoes, he wouldn't want his loved ones to suffer the same pain he is suffering.

'You are lucky, Hinata. I do not know whether she loves me,' Sasuke's face fell at the sudden thought, 'I did everything I can to show that I really love her, but, I do not know, Hinata.'

'Hinata, how does a girl tell a guy that she loves him?'

'Sasuke-kun, you just know. When she seeks you when she is sad, when she laughs at your jokes, when she kisses you with all her heart, when smiles for you.'

Sasuke smiled at the memories of being with Nanako. How she had refused him blankly when they first started. How she held him tight on the bicycle, how she had cried hard against his chest.

'But, Hinata, it would be hard, right? Without him?'

Sasuke knew that it was a mistake telling it to Hinata, as she began to cry again, 'I know. But I don't have a choice. I do not want him..'

'I know, Hinata,' Sasuke felt his heart wrenched, just like the way he felt when Nanako cried, and impulsively, rushed to hold her.

* * *

'Room 3.08, at the second floor, sir.'

Naruto said thanks to the nurse at the information counter and rushed to the room indicated. He cannot wait to see her again, to tell her how much he loved her.

He wanted to tell her that he had forgiven her and that everything is forgotten.

He wanted to tell her that no matter what happened, Uzumaki Naruto is always for her.

He wanted to hold her close, smell her hair once again, and kiss her hard.

He arrived at the said destination and saw, through the door glass, that someone else is holding her.

Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke.

That bastard.

Naruto clenched his fists, having the sudden desire to break something.

He cannot stand to watch anymore, and ran out of the hospital.

Both his lovers are getting lovey-dovey over each other.

Both of them betrayed him.

* * *

Sakura saw Naruto, who stormed out of the hospital. She had gone there with Ino, but she did not expect to witness such a sad drama.

'Ino, we did not plan this, did we?'

'Sakura, it's fate.'

Both of them looked at each other, puzzling.

'Er, Ino, are we still in the second plan?' Sakura asked.

'Yeah, we should. That was to teach your beloved Sasuke-kun.'

* * *

'Sasuke-kun?'

Sasuke let go of Hinata and said, 'I'm sorry, Hinata. Didn't mean to.'

Hinata smiled weakly and replied, 'It's ok, Sasuke-kun. Thanks. You know, you are a nice guy. The girl you mentioned, she's lucky to have you.'

'Hinata, if you don't mind, I would like to visit you more often. And I won't tell Naruto.'

'Sasuke..'

'Don't worry, we're friends, right? At least I have to visit you, if Naruto's not going to.'

* * *

Sasuke found himself an unlikely companion in Hinata. She is really devoted, caring and thoughtful. For the first time, Sasuke understood completely why Naruto loves her.

Nanako had not been answering his calls, and he had been calling her the whole night. He vowed to be gentler to her, instead of rushing to make her fall in love with him. He now realized that if he wanted her, he should let things be, let it happen naturally.

She's still not answereing his call, leaving him puzzled. He wished he knew where she stayed, at least he can check on her. Nanako, apparently wished to remain as anonymously to Sasuke as she can.

What kind of guy he wanted to be? Sasuke had rethought it over.

He wanted to be a new man for her, but seeing now, he might be in trouble.

What is the matter? He wondered.

He heard a knock on his door, and Nanako entered.

He smiled as he saw her and rushed to give her a hug.

'Why are you not answering my calls?'

Nanako looked at his, eyes fixed on a glare, not uttering a word.

'What's wrong, pretty girl,, do you have any idea how much I missed you?' Sasuke asked again, cupping her face.

'Is it possible, Sasuke, that a guy who claimed to be in love in a girl, can love another at the same time?' she said finally, pushing him away, instead walked towards his bed, and sat on it.

'Why are asking this out of a sudden?' Sasuke gave a little laugh, 'You are jealous of Sakura, aren't you?'

She looked at him with a cold, hard expression and insisted, 'Answer me.'

'I don't know about others,' Sasuke went to her side, and placed both his hands on each side of her neck, 'But, me? When I said I loved you, I mean it.'

'Do you say the same thing to Sakura?'

'Yes,' Sasuke lied on her neck, 'but they don't mean anything.'

'So are those words you say to Hinata, right?'

'What are you talking about? What Hinata?' Sasuke thought he understood what is wrong, a little.

'I did not do anything to her.'

'Yeah, getting cozy is nothing, right?' Nanako pushed him away.

'Who told you that?'

'Doesn't matter. It just tell me that you are an insincere, dishonest, cheating bastard.' Nanako stood up, 'And you are a girlfriend thief!'

'I did not steal Hinata! What does she had to do with you? What's going on?'

'Tell me that you never did that in the hospital today.'

'I cannot. Fine, I hugged her because-'

'Don't give me excuses, Sasuke,' she began to cry, 'Do you love me, Sasuke?'

'Yes, I do. Believe me, Nanako. Please.'

Nanako looked at him with those reddened eyes and ordered him, 'Make love to me, Uchiha Sasuke.'

Without saying any other thing, she stripped her own clothes, and leaned close to Sasuke, kissing him on the neck, and unzip his pants, while Sasuke, taken by surprise, did his part and took off his shirt. He pushed her to the bed, began to savour the taste of her body, landing kisses all over her. He then caressed both her breasts, and he that felt their intimacy had raised his body temperature. He felt his insides burning as his lips reached for her sensitive spots. Skin to skin, he enjoyed the touch, the closeness.

He had been dreaming of these moments, but only in his fantasy. He did not expect it to come so soon, and it seemed to him that this wasn't the right time. He had wanted them to make love while in love, not in confusion and conflicts.

However, he didn't care, he had always wanted her, and nothing in this world could stop them.

But something did-

Nanako pushed him upwards, eyes wet with tears.

* * *

Nanako was disappointed. She had asked Sasuke to make love to her, but she expected him to say no to her.

'I am just another random girl, aren't I?' she asked, 'Sex meant nothing to you, don't they? Girls meant nothing to you, don't they?'

'You'll make love to me, like you did to Sakura. You say sex meant nothing to her, and so it'll mean nothing to me, right? Hinata will also mean nothing to you, right?'

'Nanako, why is Hinata in our conversation? She has nothing to do with us,' he leaned closer to her.

Before Sasuke could do anything else, he felt a slap to his face.

'You are an incorrigible bastard! And I thought you are a nice dependable guy, but I am wrong.'

'Do me a favour, Mr Uchiha, don't call me again. And please treat Hinata well' And she left, after putting on her clothes.

Nanako should have knew that it might be him who had taken Hinata away from Naruto. She doesn't know what to feel, the whole of Naruto loved Hinata, but also, she didn't want to lose Sasuke to another girl.

Nanako is in a complex state of mind, and she does not know what else could be worse than what she's feeling now.

* * *

Sasuke could not understand the situation, but he does not know what to ask. The whole situation is just so confusing. If Nanako saw him hugging Hinata, why is he calling him a girlfriend thief, instead of being jealous of Sakura and Hinata?

If she's angry at him because he 'stole' Hinata, could she be….

Sasuke shrugged off that possibility. It was impossible.

Or is it really possible?

Sasuke called Sakura after Nanako left his house. He had made up his mind that he'll devote himself wholely to Nanako, no matter who she is, or _what_ she might be.

'Sakura, I need to talk to you.'

'What a coincidence, Sasuke-kun! I have something to tell you too!

'Sakura, I cannot continue with this anymore,' he finally said.

'Sasuke-kun,' her voice broken, 'What is it that you cannot continue?'

'Us, Sakura. Both of us.'

'Sasuke-kun,' she began to sob, 'you cannot do that.'

Sasuke, after hearing what news Sakura had for him, felt like the world had come to an end.

'I'm pregnant, Sasuke-kun.'

* * *

There, there. Please tell me your opinion, ok?

Personally, I think this is getting a little complex, and I am thinking hard to untangle the web in the next chapter.

So, maybe next chapter would not be so soon, because my assignments are starting to haunt me.

See you guys later!

Don't hesitate to review!


	5. Confrontations and a Proposal

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 5: Confrontations and a Proposal

Author's notes: I had changed my pen name for personal reasons, and if you see that the author for this story had somehow changed, fret not! It is still me!

Thanks for all those reviews! Really motivated me.

Let's head on with a new chapter!

Hope you'll enjoy, and please drop me a review if you feel like doing so.

P.S: Oh, ya…Sorry for the extensive break I took. Was sick for the past few days…

* * *

Sasuke skipped practice that day. It had been a little more than a week after his girlfriend Sakura dropped him a bomb.

Yes, his girlfriend is pregnant with his kid.

He had stayed home after that, refusing to attend lectures and classes and football trainings. He needed sometime to think, to reflect, and to reconsider his previous actions.

Perhaps Nanako was right, he is a spoilt brat. He decided everything according to what he needs, and what he wanted, rather that what was the best for him. He slept with Sakura, knowing that she will get pregnant; and Sasuke had given no thought about the possibility of her really getting pregnant. He pursued Nanako, never given a thought about what will happen in the game of deception, lies, and seduction.

Sasuke imprisoned himself in his home, and avoided everyone else- Sakura, Nanako, and also Naruto. He was surprised that he had been considering to be responsible to the child Sakura's carrying. If he were his old, conceited, arrogant self, he would have dumped her right away. However, he found himself thinking over what Nanako had said. If he had dumped Sakura, even after knowing about the baby, he really is a jerk who places no values in women, and all of them meant nothing to him.

To be more precise, Nanako would have meant nothing to her. He had learnt, from her, what is it like to appreciate love, what is it like to value her over himself. She taught him, without any of them knowing, that caring over people is what ultimately make you happy. He may not love Sakura, he may not care for her – but the baby in her is his child.

He was on his way to visit Hinata, the only one who seemed to be capable of talking to him without any awkwardness. Sasuke is grateful of her, and her companionship. He cares for her well-being, but only in the place of Naruto. He felt sad to know that she will be gone in a matter of months, and he wanted her to leave the world without regrets.

Knowing this, part of him wanted to tell Naruto about her, but he had promised Hinata to keep it a secret. He reached her ward and smiled, 'Hi, Hinata. How's the body doing?'

Hinata lifted her head and said to him, 'Hi, Sasuke-kun. Err, shouldn't you be in lecture now?'

'I skipped them,' he settled himself on the chair beside her bed. She was having her lunch, and will undergo her usual physiotherapy later. 'Not in mood.'

Hinata said, not convinced, 'You are upset about something, right? Did you have a fight with Sakura?'

'Hinata, I, err,' Sasuke hesitated. She had probably thought that the girl he mentioned to her earlier was Sakura, but he had conveniently left out another girl in his life. 'Well, she's my girlfriend, but I am…'

'In love with another girl.' Hinata finished for him, 'Sasuke-kun, that's cheating on Sakura.'

Sasuke did not know what to say. He had thought that, if he had not been initiating the game of seduction between him, Sakura and Nanako, none of these would have happened. But then again, he would not have met Nanako without cheating on Sakura. He didn't know who to blame; himself, Sakura, or Nanako.

'Hinata, if you are pregnant, what would you feel if your boyfriend, who doesn't love you, refused to be responsible for the baby?'

Hinata looked at him, smiled and said, 'So that was what happened?'

'Just answer the question,' Sasuke cannot help being affected by her optimistic behaviour. He had not seen such a person, while in the midst of a painful, deadly disease, could still manage to smile. He had admired her courage and her will to stay happy, undefeated. He had not been able to smile since he broke up with Nanako.

'I will be very sad, Sasuke-kun. Very sad. I would hate the guy, for making me pregnant, and I will despise him for not loving me,' Sasuke stared at her, wide-eyed.

'Ah, that is what I think Sakura thinks, by the way, don't get panicked,' she said, giggling as she observed his facial muscles contorted, 'Me? Even if Naruto-kun had impregnated me, and happen to not love me anymore, I will let it be. I feel that I would give birth to the child, and raised him myself. I don't need a man to raise a child.'

Sasuke looked down, embarrassed by such a proclamation, 'Naruto is lucky to have you, Hinata.'

Hinata smiled weakly and requested, 'Sasuke-kun, please help me get the box,' referring to the chocolate box, nicely decorated and personalized, which was placed on the table across her bed.

Sasuke retrieved the box, and handed it to her. Hinata, after coughing, opened the box, which was full of pictures. Pictures of her and Naruto.

Sasuke said sadly, 'You missed that idiot, huh?'

'I cannot just pretend that there was nothing between us, Sasuke-kun. It had been really great, having him around me for these years. He had been there when I felt the whole world is against me. I cannot just forget him.'

'You know Sasuke-kun, the memories of him is what kept me strong. Really, just by remembering him, I can feel him speaking to me. He said, 'I'm always here, Hinata. You have to be strong, Hinata.' That's what I feel by looking at these pictures.'

Sasuke cannot help but think that Hinata really misses that idiot.

_Sasuke went to visit Hinata, when suddenly he spotted a nurse calling._

_'Please, someone call Dr. Tsunade!'_

_Sasuke immediately went in her room and saw Hinata gasping for air, apparently having difficulty breathing._

_'Hinata, hang in there!' Sasuke looked around and found the nurse, 'Please, where is the doctor? Can't she be faster?'_

_'She is rushing here already, please calm down!'_

_He then heard Dr. Tsunade's voice, who asked, 'What's wrong?'_

_He heard the nurse explaining her condition, and from that, Sasuke gathered what had happened. Hinata was getting up, when she felt dizzy and then fall to the floor and press for the emergency button at the side of the bed. The nurse found her sitting at the floor, holding her chest, gasping._

_'Sasuke, please stay outside for a moment.' Sasuke obeyed Dr. Tsunade without question._

_After a while, Dr. Tsunade came out and announced to him that her condition had been stabilized, but she cannot do anything that will possibly tire her in any way. That is if he wanted her to stay alive longer._

_Sasuke hid his sadness and went in to check on Hinata. She was still unconscious. Sasuke replaced the flowers in the little vase by the window and he decided to visit her later, and was preparing to leave.._

_Something stopped him._

_It was Hinata calling out for Naruto._

_'Naruto-kun…'_

_Her voice was weak, soft and desperate. He rushed to her side, only to see tears flowing from her closed eyes, and hear her mumbles of Naruto's name._

_Sasuke felt her heart ached, but he can do nothing to help her, but to stretch out his hand, and reach for hers._

It was fortunate that Hinata couldn't recall that particular incident in which she had unconsciously called for that idiot Naruto. She wouldn't know how much she actually needed him by her side.

* * *

Naruto could not care about anything other than football. He had been training his heart out since the day he broke up with Sasuke, in his female form, asking him to take care of Hinata. He found football strangely therapeutic, especially when he is depressed, such as times like this, to rid his mind off Hinata and Sasuke.

The ball was just outside the penalty box, and then he retreated a few steps behind the ball, facing the goal. He stepped forward, building up some momentum onto his feet, and kicked the ball, half-imagining that it was Sasuke. And then the ball-

Did not went in.

The ball hit the goalpost, and then bounced back to the left side of Naruto. He let out a cry of frustration. He picked up his water bottle, and began pouring the water onto his mouth, which subsequently damped his clothes as well, and then restart his penalty kick practices.

Damn Sasuke. He hated him. With passion.

For taking away Hinata.

And perhaps for making him fell in love with him.

* * *

Sasuke finally gathered enough guts to go to Konoha University for his usual helping of lectures and football trainings, and gave up trying to be reclusive. He actually found his home boring after a while, and decided to go for lectures even if he dreaded seeing Sakura. He was sure that he was the one and only guy in this world who hates seeing his girlfriend, at that moment.

He went straight to Coach Gai's room, and apologized for not attending his usual trainings, and vowed that he would train harder to defeat Oto University in their next game against them.

'Don't worry, Sasuke. Youths and mistakes…'

Sasuke had memorized Gai's speech by heart. Youths and mistakes come together, springtime of youth is not to be wasted, love that adrenaline-pumped youth, and it's ok to make your girlfriend pregnant.

Alright, Sasuke made the last one up. He cannot take his mind off Sakura and her baby, and his troubles had seemed to be magnified when Coach Gai announced that-

'I may replace you with my cute Lee for the next game.'

Sasuke was shocked, beyond comprehension. 'Why, Coach? I had been performing so well in previous games and I had the highest goal tally last season!'

'Yes, I know. 30 goals in 40 matches, including 3 hat tricks. Tied with Naruto at the top. But you had not been training consistently, I afraid. Try looking at Naruto, he had been practicing so hard this time, and he might outdo you this time around.' He pointed to his window, whose transparent surface saw Naruto practicing his penalty kicks.

'Consistency, Sasuke. Nothing better to win the championship. I don't do favouritism, remember that.'

With that said, Sasuke headed to the field, after changing his attire and doing his warm-up.

He took a ball, and then went to the side of the field where Naruto was practicing, and starting to practice his penalty kicks as well.

These actions prompted Naruto to call him, 'Copycat!'

Sasuke looked at him, and replied, 'Not as bad as yours, moron.'

'There is another goal on the other side of the field, for your information,' Naruto told him, obviously trying to get rid of him, 'go there, and leave my sight.'

'Look, I don't want us to see each other on bad terms,' Sasuke said, trying to initiate apology, 'I'm sorry, alright?'

'Yeah, sorry that my girlfriend, oh, my bad, _ex-girlfriend_, is so attractive, that you have to seduce her,' Naruto said bitterly, 'I forgot, you are Uchiha Sasuke. The guy with the biggest fan base ever in Konoha University.'

He kicked the ball in a random direction and continued, 'Any girl that did not fall under your spell is a definite retard. Oh, what will the fangirls say? Sasuke-kun, you are the best ever. Our king! Our fantasy dreamboat!' He squealed in a very girly manner that reminded Sasuke of Nanako.

Sasuke gave him a glare and said, 'Stop it, moron.'

'Oh, so he's angry, and then-'

'And then I'll kill you,' Sasuke finished for him, 'Haven't you had enough of imitating girls, Naruto? Or do you enjoy being a girl?' There, he had dropped the question. He had indeed been wondering about this for quite some time.

'Are you questioning my manliness, bastard?' Naruto went towards him, with the ball in his hands, 'So you are a man, and I am not? Is that what you told Hinata, so she'll leave me?'

'So that is what you think?' Sasuke walked to the front of Naruto, and both of them were eye-to-eye, 'Tell me, Naruto, if you are girl, what would you think of me?'

A heavy punch flew to Sasuke's face, and he fell down on his back. However, he was almost sure about it. Naruto's eyes, they looked really familiar to him.

However, before he can do any other thing, Naruto landed another punch in his face. Wiping the blood off his mouth, Sasuke returned the punch onto Naruto's face. Not satisfied, he pounced on him again deliver another blow to his eyes.

'STOP!!'

It was Coach Gai, looking at them furiously.

Naruto and Sasuke, both stood up, pointing at each other, and said, 'HE STARTED IT!'

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto were both held for detention. Sound unsightly for university students, but Coach Gai had decided that it was the best to deal with of them. They, according to him, needed to reach an understanding about each other, instead of fighting. If they do end up fighting in that closed confinement he called the dressing room, the time they spend with each other will double up.

So that is how they ended up imprisoned in the boy's dressing room, with the strong stench of sweat and only each other as company.

They have not spoken a word to each other, sitting in corners across each other. Naruto was playing with a ball, and Sasuke was observing the movement of an ant.

'Hey, moron,' Sasuke broke the awkward silence.

Naruto did not say anything, and Sasuke continued, 'You have not answered my question, dead last.'

'How many other names you had for me, bastard?' Naruto demanded, looking up from the ball towards Sasuke.

'Just like how you call me bastard all the time,' Sasuke replied.

'It suits you. Nothing wrong in me calling you that,' Naruto said, looking back at his ball.

'They suit you too, moron. Or would you be happier if I call you dead last?' Sasuke replied him again.

Naruto's eyes were focused on Sasuke and he warned, 'You know, if I had not needed to spend extra time here with you once I beat up good, I would have killed you.'

'Yeah, great. You beat me up. More like I'll get you owned by the time you realized what's going on,' Sasuke said.

Both of them fell silent. Sasuke who had wanted his question answered, once again was not able to achieve that.

'Hey, Naruto-'

'Now it's my name? Is it a new way to insult me?'

'Shut up, ok? I'm trying to ask a question here,' Sasuke was almost losing his patience.

'Whatever you want, _Sasuke-kun_,' Naruto said, mocking his fangirls yet again.

'You have not answered my question,' Sasuke said shortly.

'What question?' Naruto asked shortly too, as if he had never heard of any question.

Sasuke sighed at the prospect of repeating the question, but asked nonetheless, 'If you are girl, what would you think of me?'

'Are you in love with me, Sasuke? First, those gay questions and now this? Gee, you must be out of your mind. Poor Sasuke, sexually disorientated, gender-confused-'

Naruto did not get to finish his sentence again because Sasuke was already in front of him, grabbing the front of his shirt, pushed him to the locker, and said, 'Answer that damn question, Naruto!'

Naruto, unthreatened, glared at him, and said, 'What if I refused to?'

Sasuke had only one thing to clarify. Nevertheless, he moved closer to Naruto and said softly to him, 'I won't let you.'

And he kissed him.

* * *

Naruto felt that the connection between his brains and his nerves had broken. He cannot move any limb of his body, and cannot speak any word.

Sasuke was kissing him.

He knew that Sasuke had seen Nanako in him, and that is why he had been asking all those weird questions about what he thinks of him as a girl. He had refused to answer those, sweeping them aside, but apparently, Sasuke was not convinced by his act of ignorance. He had chosen to take up a drastic measure, by kissing him, to see whether Naruto had been the one he is in love with. Or any form of him.

Naruto found himself in a helpless situation, where he cannot do anything to stop the kiss. He tried struggling, breaking away from him, but to no avail. He simply cannot help but gave in to him. Damn Sasuke, why does he have to possess this type of power? The power to totally immobilize him, to make him surrender, to make him lose control.

After finally gathering up some control over his limbs, he pushed him away.

Sasuke wore a strange expression on his face, and looked away. 'Thanks, Naruto. I got the answer.'

Naruto said grudgingly, 'I hate you, Sasuke.'

Looking back at him, Sasuke said, 'There is something that I need to tell you, Naruto.'

* * *

Hinata was looking out to the window, and she saw a few kids playing football with each other. There were five, and two of them are in wheelchairs, but playing with their hands. The other three was their friend, and they were laughing while passing the ball.

Hinata watched them with a smile, as the little boys reminded her of a conversation he had with Naruto a few months ago.

_'Hey, Hinata, look at that,' Naruto said, pointing to the field, where there are two teams of high school boys playing football._

_'Yeah, Naruto-kun, what is so special about that?' Hinata asked._

_'You know,' He said, and stretching out his arms, 'I'm gonna have you give a football field's worth of kids!'_

_Hinata looked appalled, and shook her head in disagreement, 'No, Naruto-kun, I can't do that! There are more than twenty kids that you are talking about! How could we possibly raise this much of children?'_

_Naruto grinned, and said, 'So, Hinata, you've been thinking about how is it like to be married with me, haven't you?'_

_Hinata was taken aback by the sudden trick. Sure, she had thought about marrying him one day, have children and all, but she wasn't ready to be caught on the spot, and blushed, 'Who says I am going to marry you?'_

_Naruto took both her hands in his and said, 'Hinata, I'll definitely marry you, someday, believe me. It is not just going to be a dream.'_

Hinata shed the tears that had streamed her cheeks in a sudden and then-

The door to her wardroom flew open and there stood a person that Hinata was just thinking about.

'Naruto-kun?'

* * *

He rushed to the hospital as soon as Sasuke had told him the truth about Hinata and her disease. He regretted walking out that day after he saw Hinata and Sasuke together. He regretted not asking for explanation or at least to stop to understand the situation in his hands. He, together with Sasuke ran away from the dressing room, leaving the very pleasantly surprised Coach Gai in a puzzle.

He should have realized that Hinata had never turned her backs on him. He should have realized that Hinata might be hiding something, and that it is not possible for her to cheat on him. He had been so stupid, so foolish and so impulsive, believing only his eyes and not his heart.

But, none of them matters now. She is now in front of him.

'Hinata,' he called, looking at her. Gosh, she had changed. Her face had become much paler since the last time he saw her, and she had become thinner.

'Naruto-kun,' Hinata said, apparently too shocked to utter anything other than his name.

He walked to settle himself beside her, and took her hand to his face.

'Your hands are cold, Hinata,' Hinata let out a tear. 'Why didn't you believe in me?'

Hinata, at loss for words, only cried at his chest.

'I do not want to see you cry for me, Naruto-kun-'

Naruto soften his voice and said to her, 'There is no such thing as not wanting to see me cry, Hinata.'

'But, you'll suffer along with me, and I didn't want that!'

'Hinata, don't you get it? There's no suffering when you are with me. I'll make sure that nothing pains you. Or do you not love me anymore? Do you suffer when you are with me?'

Hinata said nothing and he continued, 'Am I not the guy for you, Hinata?'

She did not look at him, but muttered, 'We cannot be forever, Naruto-kun. I cannot be the one to take care of you. I cannot be there for you. I cannot live for more than three months, Naruto-kun. I can no longer be by your side.'

Naruto released her and said, 'If your forever is three months, Hinata, spend them with me,' with that, he went down on his knees, taking out the ring he had bought using Sasuke's credit card a while ago, before reaching the hospital.

'Do me a favour, Hinata. Tell the world that I am the guy for you. Give me a chance to prove that I am worthy of you.'

'Marry me, Hinata.'

* * *

That is it! Updates will come soon.

There are people who asked me whether this is going to be Naru/Sasu or Nanako/Sasuke. I can't say here, it would be a spoiler, but let me assure you that Naruto and Sasuke would definitely get together!

Hope they do in the series too…..

So long, for now.

Drop me a review so I can improve, ok? Thanks!


	6. Double Backfire

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 6: Double Backfire

Author's notes: Thanks for all those reviews!

Let's head on with a new chapter!

I am sorry, but this chapter contains a lot of POVs, because I had arranged the next chapter to be full suspenses. If you think this chapter sucks, please feel free to tell me. I felt that it is important for them to reflect…sort of like the calm before the storm…

Hope you'll enjoy, and please drop me a review if you feel like doing so, and I've enabled anonymous review…because I just found out that I had not enabled it…

P.S: Oh, ya…Sorry, again… for the extensive break I took. Was sick, again… for the past few days…throat infection…

* * *

Sasuke watched Naruto and Hinata's tearful reunion with a mixed feeling. He had really hoped that things would be better with Hinata. He had found some form of solace by being with her, talking and sharing their woes together. He had never been able to talk to a girl with such ease – most of them will either blush on the spot by the mere sight of him approaching them, or their conversation always involves the girl asking him out. Truth to be told, he felt better after telling Naruto about Hinata, as if a load had been relieved off his shoulder.

However, he had never ever dreamt of such a situation where he felt happy and jealous at the same time. He liked Hinata, but he is now very jealous of her. After all, she is now-

His love rival.

Naruto had proposed to her, and she had just nodded in tears of happiness. They embraced hard, and Sasuke felt his heart ache, an unpleasant sensation that was like a blade, slicing a part of him. It was a pain like no other, even worse than the time when Nanako rejected him.

Every time he visited Hinata, seeing how her condition and her body deteriorate slowly, he spent most of his visits to Hinata's ward cursing Naruto. He hated him for letting go of her, such a priceless treasure that is Hinata. He cursed him for forfeiting his luck in women, and he hated him for being an idiot. He wanted nothing more than the best for his newfound friend (even though, technically, he had known Hinata since they were little tots), and if all Hinata wanted was that idiot, he wanted them back together.

They were now back together, only after Sasuke realized that he had been insanely in love with that idiot for the past few years.

It had seemed ridiculous when he first realized the very possibility inside that theory, and had tried his best to deny it. Him, the elite of Konoha University, a gay? (Sasuke scratched that, he wasn't technically in love with a guy when Naruto showed up as a girl) However, when he thought deeper, Naruto was the only person in this world who took him as whom he was, regardless whether he is a girl or a boy.

Naruto had never looked at him in fear, false respect or utmost admiration as what he had seen from all other people in the community that he grew up in. They looked up to him, like they worship God, just because Sasuke had more money, his house was bigger, and he looked more beautiful than any other guy (or girl) in Konoha. Girls dreamed about him, and guys resented him.

Naruto was different. Since they were young, he had refused to see Sasuke as superior to him in any way. He had believed that one day he would be better than him, and he would garner the respect and adoration that Sasuke had gotten since birth. He has also refused to be intimidated by him, even though he had done that to goad him on certain occasions. He had felt that he was, perhaps his best friend, in a weird manner.

He understood him, in a way that they both do not understand, and do not seem to acknowledge.

That is why it made sense to Sasuke that he had fallen in love with that idiot he had thought as his best friend, who is now in the arms of another woman. He wasn't blind, he had suspected that Nanako was indeed Naruto, and the kiss he gave Naruto confirmed it.

No one had ever kissed like Nanako. All other girls he had snogged, Sakura included, kissed him in a desperate manner. They gave in to him too easily, and allow his tongue past their lips a little too quickly. Kisses with them are a brief affair, he did not feel the challenge, and soon enough, it had began to enjoy kisses like how he enjoyed pecks on the cheeks. Nanako was different. Their real first kiss together had Nanako standing as still as a mannequin, and Sasuke had to put in extra effort to arouse her for the kiss. He had touched her face, and those sensitive areas around her ears and neck gently, something that he had never done before, to make sure that she felt at ease with him. Even if she kissed him back, it was as if she is always putting up a struggle, a struggle to not give in to him, posing a challenge to Sasuke.

That was also what he felt during the kiss with Naruto. It was him after all, that Nanako, the girl he is madly in love with.

He didn't know who he preferred, Nanako or Naruto. And he didn't know how Naruto could become both of them.

Standing outside Hinata's ward room, leaning against a 'Fight Obesity' poster, he vowed to put the thoughts of Naruto and Hinata aside for the time being, and will enjoy a wedding party. He smiled at the sight of the loving couple in front of him, and turned to walked away.

He still had a girlfriend and a baby to deal with.

* * *

Sakura was lying on her bed, reading a book on pregnancy. It had the comprehensive guide on the taboos, myths, facts, what to dos, and what not to dos during pregnancy. She had her hands on that book two days ago, in her mother's room - her mum is a gynaecologist.

Not that she really needed them anyway.

Sakura had not been to the gynaecologist to verify her pregnancy, nor had she done a pregnancy test. She just needed to lie about it.

Ino had said that the ultimate way to test a guy's feelings towards you is to tell him that you're carrying his child, his legacy. If he dumps you, he's an asshole. The catch is, if you can get him to feel guilty and responsible, it is a surefire way to bind him to you for the rest of his life. Absolutely no escape.

Sakura agreed with her, after all, this is what always happens in soap operas, right? Gambling on the fact that Sasuke is a elite member of Konoha Town, he cannot let the rumours about him dumping a pregnant girlfriend whispering around. He a reputation to uphold, and a name to carry.

Then, he would have only one choice. He would have to marry Sakura, no matter what.

How would Sakura get herself pregnant?

Only a retard will worry about that, and Sakura isn't at all doing that. If they are getting together again, there will be plenty of sex. Plenty of chances to conceive a baby.

Sasuke had warned her about getting an abortion, as that was the first thing she said to him after he woke up from the temporary trance he was in, being informed of the news.

_'I don't know what to do, Sasuke-kun' Sakura said in her sobbing voice. She is a good actress, tears are as easy as breathing, 'please don't leave me, Sasuke-kun.'_

_Sasuke did not speak, apparently thinking hard to resolve the problem._

_'Sasuke-kun,' Sakura had gained composure, 'I will not carry it.'_

_That statement had struck Sasuke hard, as he responded, 'No, Sakura. My family had once campaigned against abortion. It is not possible.'_

_Sakura had begun to sob again, and muttered, 'but we are so young, Sasuke-kun. I need my degrees. What am I going to do without even graduating?'_

_'I'll figure a way out, Sakura. Please do not worry.'_

_Sakura smiled in the midst of her 'tears' and replied, 'Thank you.'_

_'Do not abort it. I hope you remember it.'_

Sakura, using her greatest analytical ability, utilizing all her knowledge of Sasuke to the maximum, tried to figure out the real reason behind him going against abortion. She cannot find even a clue that linked remotely to his behaviour. Was he that kind, compassionate, and responsible?

It seemed possible, however, that it was out of pity. She recalled an incident when they were still in middle school, and she had been stalking him after school. He walked along the main street of Konoha to get home, and then he turned into a narrow lane. Sakura was puzzled by his sudden turn, but, she found the answer no long after that. It turned out that Sasuke had heard a voice, a slow and mournful cry. She hid herself (a skill she acquired for following him for so long) and watched Sasuke.

He was kneeling down, face lowered to the tar road, and towards a little puppy lying on a pool of blood. He then took out his handkerchief, and damped it with his daily water supply, then tended to the puppy by wrapping it around its injured area, and then, carrying it in his arms, he began to knock on every door he can see, asking for the owner.

The puppy happened to belong to one of the shopkeeper's daughter, and she happened to leave him there for a walk by itself, but got ran over by a motorbike. After handling it over to the shopkeeper's daughter, he turned away, and resumed his journey home.

It should be it, the reason why he had warned her not to throw away the 'baby'.

Whatever, Sakura doesn't care.

He's bound to her forever.

* * *

Naruto pulled Hinata's blanket and covered her sleeping figure. He lowered down his face, and kissed her hair softly.

'I love you, Hinata.' He turned around, leaving.

He couldn't find Sasuke anywhere.

'Oh, really' he muttered to himself. He thought he just saw him outside Hinata's room. Perhaps he had gone home. Naruto shrugged and made his way back to his sanctuary.

He found himself in better mood than he was that morning. His mind had cleared up, and he had begun to accept a few things:

1. He was an idiot – he had not believed in his own heart when he found Hinata 'cheating' on him. He should have listened to her, and not avoiding her. He had now less than three months to be with her, and he will give her the happiest three month she ever had.

2. It is impossible for him to just not love Hinata out of a sudden. She had been his one true love, and she will always be. His heart had shattered when he heard about the truth about the disease, but he had then resolved to made her a part of him. If she is going to die, she will die as a member of his clan, the Uzumaki clan (even if they were all dead – he was an orphan, remember?). He wanted her to die as his wife, and he wanted her to have him as a husband in the little life she had left.

3. Sasuke is a nice guy. Naruto had nearly broken down, and he had stated his wish to marry her to Sasuke. He had really thought of that, but he needed to have a career before he can afford marriage. It was then Sasuke offered to back him financially. He has no use for those extra money anyway, he had declared. He seen a glimpse of sincerity in him, and it wasn't fake, nor was it explicatory. It was true from his heart, and Naruto knew it.

4. If he doesn't have Hinata, he'll want Sasuke.

Naruto tried his very best not to think about the last one.

* * *

Sakura walked into Ichiraku's Ramen, a ramen restaurant that she and Sasuke usually patronizes. He had called her earlier, to ask her out to Ichiraku's. she felt weird at first, after all, he had not been calling her for the past week, and she wondered if he had changed his mind.

Apparently, he was in quite a good mood, from his voice in the phone. He had seemed more approachable, more relaxed. It was a remarkable change from his usual cold demeanor, and he barely utter more than a sentence to her at a time. That made her felt good, like on the cloud nine.

She caught the silhouette of her boyfriend sitting in a corner, reading the menu. Sakura headed towards him. Upon seeing her, he stood up and smiled at her.

'Sasuke-kun, it's been a while, hasn't it?' she asked.

'Sakura, thanks for coming. I had some important matters to talk to you about.'

Sakura took her seat. So he didn't give her a kiss, or help her pull out her chair for her. He is being cautious, and Sakura doesn't like that. As much as she loved Sasuke, it had always been his distant behaviour that she cannot tolerate. It seemed that he doesn't allow her to know him further than he allowed her to. He had never spoken about himself to her, or to share his secrets to her, or even to confide in her as to what is bothering her.

'I would like a bowl of pork ramen and a glass of sake, please,' Sasuke said to the waitress, then looked up to Sakura and asked her, 'Sakura, your order?'

Sakura, still very much absorbed in her thoughts, said, 'Whatever you ordered, Sasuke-kun.'

The waitress took down their orders, the menus and left the table. Sasuke turned to Sakura after saying thanks to her.

'Sakura, I had something in my mind that I would like to ask you about.'

'Fire away, Sasuke-kun,' Sakura had been wondering about that for some time now.

'What do you think marriages and building families mean to a girl, Sakura?'

Sakura certainly did not expect that type of question from him. She had expected something like getting back together, life after graduating or anything – other than marriages. The fact that it he is actually asking about it meant that he had been thinking about those matters.

There is no self-respecting member of the male species in the planet that will simply open his mouth about things like marriage to a girl unless-

He is serious about it.

Sakura managed a small smile, and said 'Everything, Sasuke-kun.'

His left brow contracted, and his face was one of bewilderment, as if that was a bizarre answer to a perfectly normal question.

'Everything? Is it true?'

'Yes, everything. It is bondage for the rest of your life. How could you think as if you are putting your life at stake? For me, if I wanted to be married, it would be to person that I love, really love. It would be person whom I'll devote my life, and my afterlife with.'

Sasuke's gaze directed his eyes outside. It took him a few moments of silence before he say anything.

'I'll tell you about a good news, Sakura,' looking back at her, as their orders arrived, 'But, first, please enjoy the ramen.'

Both of them chuckled, and dive their chopsticks into the bowl of hot, delicious, and appetizing ramen.

'Coincidence, really. Ramen is Naruto's favourite food,' Sakura said, 'it is almost like he's addicted to them.'

'Yeah, and I'm just about to tell you about him.'

Sakura was shocked, but she kept eating. So he is in touch with Naruto? Sakura wondered if he knew about Naruto's unnatural ability to transform into a woman. Or whether he knew that Sakura had caught them kissing. Sakura began to feel like whatever he is going to say, it is not good news.

'He's going to marry Hinata. That idiot.'

Sakura silently heaved a sigh of relief. Nothing remotely close to whatever she had predicted, and nothing to harm her and her relationship with Sasuke.

'But,' as Sakura realized something, 'didn't they broke up like a few weeks ago?' She remembered it very well, she had wanted them to break up, and had succeeded.

'Oh, Hinata has leukemia, you know?' Sasuke answered casually, 'They broke up because Hinata wanted to. He does not want Naruto to see her die.'

Sasuke returned to his usual cold manner, and continued, 'Sad, isn't it? But I found that out, and I told him about the truth. They got back together, and he just proposed to her.'

Sakura's plan just failed. She had been banking on Naruto's feeling towards herself, that he's eventually leave Hinata, and suffer from rejection.

Sasuke put down his chopsticks, then looked at Sakura.

'Sakura, I'm very sorry that that I had made you pregnant. And I will be responsible to it.'

Sakura cannot believe her ears, is he doing what she thought he's going to do?

'We'll share the custody of the child, Sakura.'

Sakura felt that the weight of the whole world is now upon her shoulders.

'Sasuke-kun, what does that actually mean?' Sakura trembled.

'If you were thinking of keeping the child, and we'll share the burden. Or I'll contribute more.'

Sakura was completely confused. 'So, we are not getting married?'

He replied, 'What, Sakura? Aren't we a little too young for that?'

'I do not understand, Sasuke-kun.'

Sasuke took a deep breath, and said, 'Look, Sakura. We cannot take that baby away, it is a life form, and I do not want to kill. We were careless, and I shall take full responsibility towards him. I'll raise him, unless you want to keep him. If that is the case, then I'll provide you with monthly financial supply.'

Sakura cannot believe this. "You are not marrying me?'

He answered simply, 'We can't, Sakura. Well, _I_ can't.'

'Then what's with the question about marrying and building families, and the Naruto story? There has got to be reason you're bringing that up!'

'Please calm down, Sakura,' his eyes were stoic, as if he's losing his patience.

'You said that marriage meant everything to you. And you'll only be married to a person that you love. It is a life-time bondage, you said it.'

'I knew now what it meant for you. That is why we cannot be married. I cannot devote myself to you.'

'I hope you understand, Sakura.'

* * *

_'Kabuki, literally translated as sing, dance and skill is a form of Japanese theatre, known for his stylization of its drama and the elaborate make up by the performers. The history of Kabuki began in 1603, when Okuni, a mikko (young women in the service of Shinto shrines) of Izumo Taisha, began performing…'_()

Naruto was revising for his Japanese Culture in Literature, one module in his minor, Japanese Literature. He had been skipping a few lectures of JCL (acronym for the said course) for his football trainings.

Well, more like his _personal_ football training. He had run off to the field whenever he felt uneasy, depressed or angst. Football is the only thing that actually kept his sanity. No matter what happened, he always felt that his focus was at his peak when he played.

But that may cost his future CGPA. Due to the recent occurrences, he had failed to concentrate on his studies, and if he does not buck up, he'll fall behind, and then failed, and-

No, he cannot fail. He has to pass and let Hinata beam at the wonderful achievements that her husband had garnered.

'KNOCK!'

His concentration was jerked away when he heard a knock on the door.

He was surprised to see his guest.

'Sakura-chan!' Her eyes were slightly swollen No doubt, she had been crying.

'Naruto,' she called, 'Can we talk?'

'Yeah, come in.'

She walked in to his living room, and Naruto closed the door. Then he brightened up his living room due to her presence, and saw her looking at a picture that he had placed over one of the furniture.

It was a picture of them, in high school, after he had won the toughest game of the season, and Sakura was the cheerleader.

'Nice picture, Naruto. I cannot believe that you are still keeping it.' She said to him, smiling as she picked it up, and wiping the dust on it with her fingers.

Naruto was embarrassed by the presence of dust on the picture. 'Sorry, Sakura. You know, guys do not clean up their room as frequently. But, I assure you,' he moved to her side, taking the picture away from her, holding it up, 'this is one of my most favourite picture!'

Sakura gave him a smile and asked, 'How long had we known each other, Naruto?'

Naruto, making counting gestures, replied, 'Let's see…It was in the first grade that I met you, so one, two three,…ten.. Look! It has been so long that even my fingers are not enough to count them!'

'How long exactly. Naruto?' Sakura laughed slightly.

'Fourteen years, Sakura-chan.'

'Naruto, do you remember something? I think it was in junior high, and I was, you know, practicing cheers with the high school girls?'

'What happened?'

'Well, I had a bad leg, you know, just broken them a week before. Tripped down at the stairs. Then Ino came to me, laughing. She said that not only my forehead was abnormal, but also my recovery speed. She called me a kangaroo, said I was jumping randomly.'

Naruto continued the story, 'Then, I, who just happened to be practicing nearby, and who just happened to be your best friend jumped into the rescue.'

Sakura looked at him, and said under her breathe, 'Rescue.'

Naruto asked her, 'Why do you see a need to suddenly bring this up?'

'Naruto, am I your best friend?' She asked, tears welling up in her eyes again, 'What am I to you?'

'My best friend, Sakura-chan. No ones beats you to the top of the friend's list, Sakura-chan. Except Hinata.'

Seeing that she wasn't amused by the answer, he continued, 'My bad, Sakura-chan. If you really want to know, I'll go to great lengths for you, and I'll do anything for you. If you are happy, I'll be happy. And if you're sad, I'll let you cry on my shoulders. If you are angry, I'll try to solve your problems.'

'Is it true, Naruto?'

'Do you even need to ask, Sakura-chan? Of course!'

Without any warning, Sakura's palm made a loud and hard contact with Naruto's face. She had just slapped him.

Naruto cannot believe what just happened. He had just declared his commitment to his best friend, and she slapped him?

Naruto looked up to Sakura, and all he saw in her eyes was hatred.

* * *

Thanks for being patient!

()this article of Kabuki was taken from wikipedia. I had another SasuNaru fic in mind, that involved Kabuki. I was going to try my hands on the fairy tale style of writing. I had a humour fic coming too, (and prove to myself that I can write humour. My previous attempts in incorporating humour in drama fics ended up having the characters being too serious or sarcastic…mission failed)

Thanks for reading, and please send me a review if you feel like it! (You know you wanna say something to me…wink wink..)


	7. The Return

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 7: The Return

Author's notes: Thanks for all those reviews! I am really sorry for the late, late, late update. I am going to use the normal excuse, but the truth nevertheless…I am freaking busy with my stuff…labs running till midnight, tests that almost take my life…

In short, please forgive me!

* * *

_Previously:_

_'Naruto, am I your best friend?' She asked, tears welling up in her eyes._

_I'll go to great lengths for you, and I'll do anything for you. If you are happy, I'll be happy. And if you're sad, I'll let you cry on my shoulders. If you are angry, I'll try to solve your problems.'_

_Without any warning, Sakura's palm made a loud and hard contact with Naruto's face. She had just slapped him._

_Naruto cannot believe what just happened. He had just declared his commitment to his best friend, and she slapped him?_

_Naruto looked up to Sakura, and all he saw in her eyes was hatred.

* * *

_

'Sakura-chan, what is wrong?' Naruto asked. He cannot fathom at all of what is happening in front of her eyes.

'What kind of spell you cast upon Sasuke-kun, Naruto?' She didn't soften her glare. 'What is it that you have and I don't?'

Naruto felt an unpleasant constriction upon his blood vessels, which seemed to have stopped his blood circulation temporarily. He didn't expect Sakura to know that there is indeed 'the other girl', and 'that other girl' was him. He had little options to choose from, as _he_ was the only choice of exchange deal that Sasuke will ever agree upon. He had felt guilty everyday since, for betraying both the most important women in his life – Hinata and Sakura.

'Please listen to me, Sakura-chan. It is not what they seem..' He grabbed her by the wrist because she is making the move to leave.

'Oh yeah? You knew how much I loved him, you do! I tried holding on to him, I tried seducing him, I tried! I really do. I did everything thing I can, and I even told him that I am pregnant! I-' Sakura almost shouted at him, but stopped short by the look of utmost terror on Naruto's face.

She paused to recover her breathe, and continued, 'Don't give me that look, bitch! I am pregnant with his kid. And now he doesn't want me. Every hell that I am going to go through now and the future, they are all your fault.'

'Sakura-chan, please listen to what I have to say. I have no intention to steal him; you knew that I hate him!'

'No, Naruto, nothing you say will change anything I saw,' Sakura began to lower the magnitude of her voice, but still managed to sound menacing; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

'God, Sakura-chan! I am going to marry Hinata in a month or so! Please, just calm down for a while.'

'I don't care what's going to happen between you and Hinata. As far as I know, you betrayed me, and our friendship is over. You got it? Freaking over.'

Sakura slammed the door behind her, seemingly trying to create the loudest impact possible, leaving Naruto looking horrified, wondering what kind of mess he had made out of a simple wish to fulfill his friend's utmost desire.

* * *

_Geneva, Italy._

Uchiha Itachi was pacing around his room in the worn-out apartment disguised as his artistic headquarters. He just had a phone conversation with Orochimaru, his nemesis.

"_Itachi, It's your brother, think carefully,' hissed Orochimaru. "You wouldn't want him to end up like your precious parents, don't you?' _

_'Listen, Orochimaru, whatever happened between you and me, stayed between you and me, and my brother is nowhere near that,' Itachi warned Orochimaru, 'Nobody shall harm my brother.'_

_'Uchiha Itachi was not known in Akatsuki for being a protective brother. So you are now? What happened after I left?' From his voice, Itachi can guessed that he was smirking, 'Remember that I may choose other people to kill, and yet hurt your brother at the same time, just like how I did to you.'_

_Itachi's mind drifted towards his parents and Yuki. Their last moments, he was there. Itachi cannot bear to see another of his loved ones share the same fate as them._

_'One month, Uchiha Itachi. 30 days from now. If it wasn't because we were friends in Akatsuki, I would have killed you straight away.'_

_'No, Orochimaru, I would have turned you in to Leader if you weren't my friend.'_

_'You may try that, and see for yourself later what will happen if I tell him about your not following order, and most importantly, thinking of leaving Akatsuki.'_

_Itachi hissed at Orochimaru, 'You…'_

_'No rushing there, I told you. One month, Itachi. Get me the blueprint of Akatsuki's base, and I shall pretend not to know you anymore.'_

_'My brother?'_

_'You could have just kept quiet, you know. Now that you mentioned him, I remembered seeing him with a woman… Wait, I did not, Kabuto did. I wonder whose life should I take - your brother or that woman?'_

_Itachi couldn't contain his anger anymore, 'You! Get your filthy hands off him!'_

_'Just get me that blueprint, Itachi. And none that happened to your girl will happen to your brother's woman.'_

That conversation was not new to him. Orochimaru had been on his tails ever since he accidentally injured one of the Leader's right hand man, Zetsu. Orochimaru, the member of Akatsuki who defected a year before he had roughed it up with Zetsu, happened to be around nearby, and being a powerful medical expert, and studying demon craft, erased Zetsu's memory, and saved Itachi.

Orochimaru, being one of the triad boss to rival the global appeal of the oldest and most powerful underground organization, Akatsuki, threatened Itachi non-stop. He had coerced him into giving him the information of Sasori, one of the division leaders based in Egypt, and killed him, and Orochimaru was expecting more.

Itachi was now currently in charge of designing the Italian base of Akatsuki's activity, and Orochomaru wanted its blueprint.

Itachi had a sudden desire to return to Japan, and tell his brother everything – their parents, Yuki, Akatsuki, Orochimaru. Everything had been hidden away for too long, and his brother, Sasuke needed to realize them before it's too late.

Either one of them may die, by the hands of Orochimaru or Akatsuki. If they really do, Sasuke needed to know why.

* * *

'The game was still stuck with a goalless draw, and there were 5 minutes to go.

Naruto had the ball, and he was taking it to the other side of the goal. However, he was surrounded by the Mist's defender everwhere he go. They were obviously going to mark him, and resolved to keep the match a draw, then caused Konoha to drop points, and then effectively kick them off the list of champion contenders. Konoha were 5 points off from the top, and if they draw, they will be losing out on 7 points, then it will be an uphill task to resurface as the title challenger.

Naruto cannot escape the fangs of those persistent defenders, and he had decided that he had to pass the ball. He surveyed around and saw Sasuke – and he had no other Mist player around him.

He then caught a sight of Shikamaru, who had rose from his defender position and approached Naruto. He reversed his direction to get nearer to Shikamaru, and then Shikamaru executed his signature move – Ball Stealing – that echoed around Osaka as the most defined move for a defender, and Shikamaru had become one of the most prized defender due to that.

'Sasuke!' Naruto whispered to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru nodded, but passed the ball back to Naruto.

Naruto was dead puzzled, and almost gave that ball away. 'Oi, Shikamaru, what was going through your mind?

Sasuke gave him a look of reassurance, the type of glance that he always gave him whenever he wanted him to move forward.

Move forward? He did not know what had Sasuke and Shikamaru planned, but he always trusted Sasuke. Naruto decided to follow the non-verbal instruction by Sasuke, on a true leap of faith.

The time is two minutes from the 90th minute mark, and the linesman had put up the sign to signal that two extra minutes were given. So, four minutes in total.

Naruto knew that he had no time to waste. He charged forward, but kept his eyes on Sasuke and Shikamaru. Shikamaru were sneaking around, trying to approach one of the bigger size Mist player, and pointed him to Naruto. Naruto, still having the ball, decided to play a fake.

He kicked the ball towards the big-sized guy that Shikamaru had just pointed, and looking forward for Shikamaru to steal it from him. True to Naruto's calculation, the guy did take the ball, but he passed it further away from the goal and to another Mist player, and Naruto's heart stopped short.

He had missed a chance again.

Then, he saw Shikamaru, and then in a flash, had taken the ball from the guy whom the big-sized Mist player had just passed the ball to. Shikamaru passed the ball to Kiba, who sent it flying to Lee, and Sasuke, who had just gotten the ball from Lee, kicked it over to the direction of the goal and-

'GOALLLLL! It is only a few seconds from the whistle and Konoha had just scored! I cannot believe this! I had seen much later goals, but to not see it coming was the surprise of this season's league..' the commentator's voice echoed, and jabbered through the screams of joys from Konoha's side of the stadium.

Naruto had no more energy to be surprise at the fake diversion, he was too ecstatic to be shocked. He just rushed to Sasuke, who was congratulated by every other Konoha player.

Sasuke seemed too preoccupied, and Naruto scanned the stadium for Hinata, who had promised to attend the match. He could not see Hinata anywhere.

Then, Naruto heard a familiar call.

'Naruto.'

Naruto found himself turning around to face the goal scorer.

'At least try to congratulate me, you moron.'

Naruto felt an uneasy knot tied around his waist, but gave Sasuke a football-player-giving-a-teammate hug.

'I have something to request from you.' Naruto whispered, 'Later, I'll meet you after changing.'

* * *

'Would you look at that, Kiba?' It was very uncharacteristic for Shikamaru to brag. He normally just shoved it aside, and then said that it was a troublesome thing to do. However, this time, being dubbed as the man-of-the-match, cannot stop describing to the littlest detail, including how he came out with fake diversion.

'You know, I had asked Naruto to pass it to the giant Mist ape, because I knew that he, being a defender had a habit of kicking the ball away from the goal, no matter where he go. So after signaling to Naruto, I ran towards the guy who's surrounding Naruto, furthest away from the goal, anhd keep Kiba, Lee and Sasuke in position…'

Sasuke couldn't care less. They won, and it was what that mattered.

'Shikamaru, that was weird of you,' Kiba pointed out the obvious, 'You are bragging, and that ain't you, brother.'

'Hey, hey, that was mean, you know. They should make a rule sometime later, to grant every man-of-the-match a chance to speak at press conferences or something. At least the only ones listening wouldn't be a troublesome woman…'

'Who is that troublesome woman, Shikamaru?' A female voice entered the room, and it was Shikamaru's girlfriend Temari.

Everyone now knew why he cannot stop himself from bragging.

'Isn't it enough that I have to hear your full and detailed movements throughout your game? And now everyone have to?' Temari said, half-dragging Shikamaru out of the changing room.

'But you weren't here just now. And didn't you say you were not coming?'

'I said I'll TRY, Shikamaru!'

'Oh man, you always do that, don't you? Changing your words again and again. Because of that, women are…'

'Are you sure you want to say that word, Shikamaru?'

Sasuke cannot help but laughed at Shikamaru and Temari's bickering. Ever since they started dating, they argued on everything in sight, and even once about the style of Sasuke's hair, as he remembered it.

He changed slowly, because he had been asked by Naruto to wait. Apparently, he had a request, and Sasuke was anxious to know. Is he in trouble again? Is Hinata going to…

Sasuke hoped that it wasn't Hinata. Naruto and Sasuke, they had stopped seeing each other, and even to contact each other because of her. He had sincerely wanted to help Hinata, and he knew that staying away from Naruto is one of them.

However, in reality, he knew that that reason was only secondary in comparison to another reason why he had stayed far from Naruto.

He knew that he would get jealous when he sees them together.

* * *

It had been one hour after the match ended and the changing room was already empty, save for Sasuke. He was still waiting for Naruto, and he was nowhere to be seen.

A few minutes later, he saw him emerged from the bathroom, and he cannot help asking, 'Where were you?'

'On the phone,' Naruto answered shortly, 'I didn't see Hinata just now. I called home, and she was resting, apparently had a rough morning, couldn't breathe properly, according to Hanabi, her sister.'

He called 'home' to Hinata. So that is it. They are married, and he had no space in his heart for Sasuke, he realized. His devotion is for Hinata, and no one else.

Perhaps it is better this way, for him to know that the one he was in love with never returned the feeling.

If that was the truth, it hurts. And it hurt more since he knew that the woman he loved is also the 'man' he loved. He knew now the reasons why he had come to him for Sakura's sake, and why he had never really loved Sasuke.

Truth really hurts, and he sometimes felt that he'd rather not see him anymore, really.

However, his heart screamed for Nanako everytime they meet, and he somehow managed to see him almost everyday, like it or not, and that feeling hurt him like a hyper sharp blade would, everytime he sees him.

'Sasuke,' Naruto's voice brought him back to earth. 'If you remember, I said that..'

'Yeah, I know. I do not need a personal reminder,' Sasuke didn't know why he had sounded so bitter, even though they had just won a game.

'What is it?' he asked shortly.

'I heard.. that, that Sakura's pregnant,' he stammered with his face down, very unlike the overly-confident, joker Naruto that he knew, 'And..it is your…'

'And?' Sasuke stopped him with a stone-cold tone. He knew that already, and still, what did he want from him?

'It is yours, Sasuke,' Naruto's tone was firmer, as if he finally gained composure, and began to articulate more pronouncedly.

'So what?' That was the only answer Sasuke could think of, if that was a question at all.

'And you…left her.' Naruto said.

'Yeah, I did. So?'

It seemed that the last word pissed Naruto off, and he began to lift his face from the ground, and said with clearly defined anger in his voice.

'What kind of man leaves his pregnant girlfriend behind, Sasuke?' He roared, 'Just when I finally had thought of you as a man worthy of praise, you had to do such despicable things.'

'I am despicable, Naruto. And such a man only do things equivalent to that characteristic,' Sasuke answered flatly, 'I recall that you often call me that, and now I had proved you right. Happy?'

'Why, Sasuke? I thought you were better than that. You…'

'Say it, Naruto. What do you…' Sasuke demanded.

'Is it because of me, that you leave her?' Naruto cut his words.

Sasuke did not want to answer that question. He wanted to run, and avoid Naruto, Sakura and Hinata. He didn't want to see them again. But, he was no coward. He had perfect justifications for dumping Sakura, and he did not regret that decision.

'That was none of your business, Naruto. I do not see myself owing you any explanation of that matter,' Sasuke stood up, facing his locker, 'Do not disturb me if all you wanted to know is my personal business, Naruto. Return home to your wife.'

'Please, Sasuke. Please,' Naruto pleaded, hugging him from behind. He felt an immediate surge or warmth that he had desired for a long time, and he knew that if he were any weaker, he would have melted any moment now.

'Sasuke, I do not have any business to know that, I understand. But, if I had, in any way caused you to leave her, I deserve to understand the conditions in which you'll return to her.' His head leaned on Sasuke's back, and he can feel his heartbeat which is getting irregular. Clearly, he was nervous as he is.

It was some time before Sasuke gained his voice back. When he finally did, he said, 'Naruto, I couldn't go back to her. I do not want to be with her. I thought you knew that.'

'Is there anything I can do to repair this? I do not want to see her cry, and suffer. Sasuke, she's going to have your child!'

With that, Sasuke pushed him away, and said, 'So what? I'm sick of all this! I do not love her, and you cannot force me to, Naruto! What is she to you anyway, second girlfriend?'

'Don't you question that! She is my friend, and nothing else! She's one of the closest people I've ever had, and now she's not talking to me anymore.'

'Ok, you want the answer? You're right, it was you. You made me leave her. Happy?' there, Sasuke had said the inevitable.

Naruto moved closer to Sasuke and murmured, 'I knew it. I always knew it.'

'So, what do you want from me? Was the answer the 'request' you are asking?' Sasuke enquired, turning his back to Naruto again. He did not wanted to see him like that, hating him. 'Get home, Naruto.'

'Sasuke, you can have me.'

Sasuke stopped. He must have been imagining. 'What did you say?'

'You can have me. If you want Nanako, you can have her.'

Sasuke turned to face him, 'Why?'

'If that is what I'm offering, could you stay with Sakura?'

Sasuke's heart fell. Why is every time he had come to him, asking a favour, it was as if he was pushing Sasuke away?

'I don't know, Naruto. Is that what you really wanted?'

'What do you mean, Sasuke?'

'Seeing me with another person. Is that what you wanted?'

Naruto did not move a muscle, as if he cannot answer that question.

'Whatever. Anyway, about that offer, I will think about it after I get a preview of what you are going to give me,' after saying that, Sasuke moved closer to Naruto, and planted his lips on Naruto's neck. He gave him a light kiss there, and then, closing their faces together, he moved to his lips.

Still, he did not move.

Sasuke's eyes reddened. He did not move away, but looked down, and asked Naruto, 'Please, at least tell me, what exactly do you feel about me?' his voice croaked, and he wasn't being articulate.

'I'm begging you. Just do it.'

'Why do you want to know? It doesn't matter, Sasuke.'

'No, it does, for me.' Sasuke whispered in his ears.

'Because you never told me whether you love me, or not.'

* * *

There is always a first to everything; and this is the first time Naruto had seen Sasuke even remotely close to breaking down. He never knew that he was such an importance to him.

He asked a question that Naruto do not want to answer. He did not want to betray Hinata, by saying how much he loved being with Sasuke, how safe and secure he had felt when he was with him.

But he already did. He had told Sasuke that he will go back to him if he were to reunite with Sakura. _He_ was the two-timer, and he was the one that caused Sakura to experience such a tragic relationship with the man she loved.

He caused everything to crumble, and he had thought by offering himself to Sasuke will solve everything. But, that had made things worse, because Sasuke really loved him.

He must be hurting inside, and Naruto understands the pain completely.

Because somehow, he felt that pain himself, but he had Hinata to soothe him whenever he felt his heart aching. Sasuke had none.

He wanted to tell him how much he appreciates him, how much he thought of him, but he cannot. He may be offering his body, but his heart have to stay with Hinata. At least for now.

'I cannot, Sasuke. You knew it.'

Sasuke slowly caressed Naruto's cheek, and said, 'I should have realized it. You loved playing games with me, Naruto. I cannot play along anymore.'

'Please do not mess with me anymore. I had enough of you games. Just tell me, can I still wait for you?'

'Hinata does not have much time left, you know it,' Naruto doesn't know how to answer him, but he's not ready to steer away from his original objective just yet. 'I am not you, Sasuke. I do not leave my girlfriend behind.'

'She's not pregnant, Naruto,' that proclamation took Naruto by surprise. "Please do not take me for a fool.' Sasuke paused after seeing the astounded face of Naruto.

'She forgot to tell you that, did she? Conveniently forgotten, hasn't she?'

Naruto felt his head spinning faster than he could follow. He couldn't think of any reason why Sakura would lie to her, and why had she been so passionate about him – other than she being really pregnant.

'I do not need a pregnancy test to prove it, you see,' Sasuke moved away to his locker, and prepared to leave.

'When I had asked her out to talk about this, all she asked was whether we are getting married, and not about the baby. If she was even any tiny bit concerned about our unborn child, her focus would not have been marriage.'

'That was only an assumption, wasn't it? What if she was telling the truth?' Naruto asked.

'She can't be. I kept steering her away, and asked about the custody of the child, but she kept going back to us marrying. If you even had brains, you would have figured out her intentions, and what she wanted, moron,' Sasuke now sounded impatient, as if he was explaining ABCs to an adult.

'Even if she was really pregnant, my offer to her still stands.'

'Which was…' Naruto cannot help asking.

'If she doesn't want the child, I will take him, and if she wants him, the custody will be shared, and I do not mind supply financially.'

'I just cannot force myself to stay with her anymore, Naruto. I want to truly love someone, not obligatory. Like how I felt for you.'

Sasuke had finished packing, and he was ready to leave the changing room. 'Maybe you would want to try again, Naruto, if you wanted to help her.'

Naruto doesn't know what to do with Sakura. Perhaps he will wait until she was not so mad at him anymore, and talk to her again. He now realized that Sasuke is not the solution to whatever's forcing her to make such desperate moves. He was not angry at her for lying to him, but rather, he had felt that perhaps she was just being blinded by love. Her love for Sasuke. He'd deal with Sakura later, but for now, there's still something that he had to do.

He clenched his fist tightly, and then approached Sasuke, who was going to open the door, and landed a heavy blow on his face.

'YOU TOTAL MORON! What was that for?' Sasuke screamed and his eyes flared with disbelief.

Naruto was pleased with himself, because that punch was for –

'Next game. Uchiha Sasuke, next game I will be the one scoring the winning goal.'

Both of them looked intently at each other, and then burst out laughing.

'Moron, you really cared for that, don't you? Train for another ten years before you say that to me, you idiot.' Sasuke seemed to not mind the punch anymore.

They left the changing room together, and walked home together, bickering, just like old times.

They stopped at the Uchiha mansion, and Naruto gave Sasuke a parting message.

'Hey, bastard.'

'What, moron? You want to fight?'

Naruto hesitated, but said it nonetheless, 'About the question you asked, what do I actually think about you?'

Sasuke's eyes turned attentive, and he replied shortly, 'Yes?'

Naruto took a deep breathe, and continued, 'I will think about it and tell you later. If it wasn't too much to ask, would you still wait for me?'

'Maybe, depending on what you have to say.' He replied shortly, and went inside his house.

Naruto somehow, even though his problems had not been resolved, felt much better.

* * *

Sasuke had won many football games, but none had been won this happily.

His mind had not felt so clear and this is actually one of the first time he had returned home contentedly.

Sasuke entered his house, and he saw a familiar figure that he had not seen in years.

'It has been quite some time, hasn't it?'

The voice, there is no mistaking it. It was his brother.

Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

P.S: Yuki is an original character, and was created because I couldn't find any other possible love interest for Itachi. It will do nothing for the plot anyway.

So here's when I will kneel and beg and say:

Do review, ok? Anyway, this time, updates will not take so long!


	8. Truths and Memories

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 8: Truths and Memories

Author's notes: Thanks for all those reviews! I am really sorry for the late, late, late, late update….No excuses anymore, it was **exams** that drove me crazy, perhaps I would really die of overstudying…

Anyway, I'll probably end this in 5 chapters or so..

Thanks for those who had spent so much time reading this piece of mine and kind enough to review it!

In short, please forgive me, and I shall work harder!

* * *

Sasuke felt like his mind had frozen. The sight of his brother, his older brother, had sent a paralyzing jolt into his, limping his entire body.

'Nii-san?' He finally blurted out.

Calling out to the man in front of him does not in any way help ease his awkwardness. There, in a few steps that separate the two men, stood the one that Sasuke had fiercely admired and idolized in his life. The only one that he looked up to, his brother.

_'Sasuke,' Itachi would tell him, 'I have to study for the exams tonight, alright? Wouldn't you rather me playing with you when I am less tensed?'_

_'But nii-san, you promised to teach me to play scrabble, you said it, last week!' little Sasuke had no reservation about whining when he was being rejected. He wanted to be like his brother, such admirable and adored being. He was six years older than Sasuke, and very gifted in artistic designing. His keen eyes was the subject of envy among the neighbourhood in Osaka – powerfully entrancing, as if enchanting a spell upon anything that he lay his eyes on, and more so to his works. _

_Sasuke had never really wanted to play scrabble with anyone, less so with his brother. All he had wanted was to spend time with his idol, and learn the mastery of those keen eyes. Over the years, it had seemed that even though Sasuke was the one with social charisma, possessing magnetic charms over other people, there was nothing that he had admired more than his brother's vision, or rather, the object of his captivation of images. _

_Smiling gently to the almost-dejected little Sasuke, Itachi cannot help but adored his cute little brother, and he used his hands, waving his right in front of his eyes to catch his attention. Sasuke almost always will lift his head upwards, and then-_

_'Forgive me, alright?' Both of Itachi's palm were playfully massaging Sasuke's cheeks. 'Exams will kill me, and you wouldn't want me dead, would you?'_

_Struggling against his brothers antique, Sasuke gave a little squeal, 'Wii-wan, fwop wi!' (Nii-san, stop it)_

_Itachi released his hands from Sasuke's face, and ruffled his hair. 'Tomorrow, I promise.'_

'Have you lost your voice, Sasuke? Why aren't you saying more than how you greet me?' Itachi teased his brother, with a trace of sarcasm in his voice.

It would have been much, very much easier, if all Sasuke felt for his brother was admiration and adoration, like how a fan would have viewed the god-like vision of his idol. However, for Sasuke, Itachi is his brother, his idol, and also the person he resented the most. In other words, he had began to harbour hate for the one that he once worshipped.

Itachi, even though seemed to love his little brother and his family when he was young, had distanced himself from them in his teenaged years, locking up himself in his room all the time, appearing to refuse communication with their parents or Sasuke. The distance that existed between the two brothers, drifted further. Once a target of Sasuke's ambition, he was then already making himself an unattainable shadow, Sasuke was never to tag along.

Then, not long after, when Sasuke was eight, Itachi left the Uchiha clan. Disowned himself, claiming to have no loyalty anymore whatsoever, and Sasuke was led to believe that his father chased him away.

However, they kept in contact, a massive effort from his mother, and had learned that he was pursuing a career in arts, and had plans to settle in Italy.

That is what Sasuke will describe his brother, 'he's in Italy, doing arts. Period. Nothing more, nothing less. After all, he never knew why he left home in the first place.

'There is something that I'll have to tell you, Sasuke.' Itachi broke the awkward silence, 'I beg your attention.'

Sasuke will just have to obey, hadn't he? He had, after all these years, ready to come back, and 'begged for his attention'. He was still speechless, because, he was still undecided whether to hate or love his brother, after all these years.

* * *

Naruto was greeted by Hinata's father upon reaching Hinata's house. They had agreed upon Naruto staying in the Hyuuga residence (a reasonable deal, as Naruto had thought. The Hyuuga residence was very much bigger than his own, being a very affluent family, the other rich clan besides the Uchiha clan). They all knew and had accepted that his marriage to Hinata, even though abrupt, will not bother them for long.

Six weeks left before Hinata's time is up, and now Naruto is devoting his time for her, and Hinata had also stopped going for therapy.

A pang hit Naruto as he thought about it. His wife is dying, and he is always thinking of another man? How could he had forgotten the tears that fell down Hinata's cheek when he had kissed her after the sake-exchange ceremony? How could he had overlooked that glow in her cheeks despite their pale colour? How could he not notice how she is getting frailer by the day, needing him more and more?

Their marriage ceremony was held just two weeks ago – a simple, solemn traditional Japanese wedding. They were dressed in kimonos, and invited few. For Naruto, his friends all attend, even Iruka, except Sakura and Sasuke. He had never seen Hinata in a kimono before, and was surprisingly delighted at the sight of her being dressed in pure white wedding kimono, layered a few more to befit the occasion, despite her weakness. She had looked so pure, so fresh, and so innocent, just as a bride should be.

Yet, at that time when all of his eyes should be on the woman he had unceremoniously proposed in the hospital after a brief fallout, his minds were on another man that he could not forget; for reasons he could not fathom and for desires that he did not comprehend.

He cursed himself for that, and willed all of himself to devote to his newly wedded wife. She was so weak, yet so happy on their first night. Tears damped her complexion, to which Naruto's fingers wiped, forcing himself to think that she was the one, she is his wife, and for heaven's sake, she is dying. Haven't him any trace of sympathy or guilt at all?

'Naruto-kun, thank you. For staying with me,' she whispered softly amidst those droplets that fell from her swollen eyes, no doubt resulting from her constant weeping in silence due to the pain that the illness caused her. Naruto cannot help feeling heartbroken- how many times had he been suddenly jolted awake in the middle of the night, seeing Hinata sitting up on the bed, almost gasping for breath, tears all down her cheeks as she struggles for air?

Everytime Naruto sees her in that pain, he will curse himself again and again, while massaging her very slender shoulders until she regains herself and the air. He will then kissed her softly, gently run his hand into her hair, and held her close by her side. All this happening, with death closing up on Hinata and he had the guts to think about Sasuke, that bastard?

Perhaps this was what Sasuke felt about Sakura. Perhaps this is what infidelity was all about. Naruto knew now that he was not a two-timer; he felt much anguish just from the guilt that is almost consuming him.

No, he scratched that. Sasuke felt nothing for Sakura.

That was what he was secretly hoping for, for he had delayed his confrontation with him about Sakura's pregnancy. He was hoping that there was a mistake, and mistakes were there.

He doesn't know what to do about Sakura, who was just as precious to him, but had decided to put it back in his mind. For now, his wife requires his unwavering attention. He doesn't want to regret seeing her gone, and him not giving her the best time of her life before leaving, as he had promised.

Naruto entered their room, but was greeted by Neji, Hinata's cousin. He was long estranged from Hinata's family, but had, a few years before, reconciled.

'We have to talk, Naruto.'

* * *

'You must be joking!' Sasuke screamed at his brother. He simply cannot stomach what he had just been informed. Those information was too much for him, even being the genius that he is. There is no way that his parents are-

'In hospital. And that was where I see them, the last time I checked. I am sure my absence haven't marred my ability to recognize those whom I called our parents,' Itachi said coolly.

'Quit that sarcasm, Itachi,' Sasuke snapped, 'Tell me what happened to them, and what do you have to do with this.'

'Everything,' Itachi answered, 'I caused them this, and I do not deny that. You are right to make that guess. Just as my brother should.'

'So you are telling me that you single-handedly crashed the car they were in, with a Daimler Chrysler, and mom is still unconscious, with dad having a broken arm? Come on, Itachi, you wouldn't do that. Hurry up and tell me who did it.' Sasuke was still adamant.

'It was an acquaintance that we knew well, Orochimaru. His target was me.'

Sasuke felt like he had just scored a goal, answered the test correctly and obtained the perfect points in his annual CGPA – triumphant at guessing the cause.

'Yea, you were the marked man. Why am I not surprised?'

'I have to tell you that I had joined Akatsuki when I was thirteen, as Father had suspected. I had never bothered to correct his judgement,' Itachi looked distant, as his mind was filtering the things that he need to say, 'You see, Sasuke, Orochimaru was once there, but when he left Akatsuki, he made the Leader his enemy, and made me in debt of him. He saved me once. Then, with this in mind, he used me as a pawn in his destructive agendas against Akatsuki.'

'He breathed down my neck all the time, and the one time I failed to follow his orders right away, he killed my girlfriend. I cannot do anything, not even revenge, because we are not supposed to be in contact, much less having me to do his order, the Leader is a powerful man that no one should cross paths with.'

'But paths you crossed, Itachi. You were the one who wanted to follow him in the first place, do not blame him for the troubles you stirred up with Orochimaru! So you have failed again, haven't you? That's why he targeted Mother and Father, for the sake of you, the son with no remote sense of filial piety!' Sasuke cannot believe that for all the genuine intelligence that his brother possesses, he is now just helpless, peace-loving git.

'Tell me, what does he want from you this time around, and is he targeting me this time around?' Sasuke wasted no time in firing the question that he might already knew answers to.

'He needed the blueprint of the Akatsuki base in Italy. And it is not you, even though he had been watching you here in Japan by means of his underlings for months, that he is marking.'

'Your girlfriend is.'

Sasuke froze.

'That is why I have to explain to you the whole thing. I am here to tell you to protect her.'

'Leave her straightaway.'

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. 'So, I am now the scapegoat for all that you've done? Why couldn't you have let yourself be killed, then?'

'Just as I thought, you are no good as a brother!' With that Sasuke stormed out of his house, ignoring Itachi's call for him to return.

* * *

Neji looked at his brother-in-law with a piercingly lethal stare that no one's eyes had met without fear creeping from their spines. He was now a very disappointed man, and just looking at that man standing in front of him, just merely looking at him infuriated his wrath.

'What is it, Neji?' the calm voice projected from his throat manifested no remorse, no signs of guilt, and no intention of repentance.

'You know, Naruto, have Hinata not needed any tranquility in her current condition, you are already a dead man,' Neji had managed to sound threatening and yet maintaining his composure at the same time. He wanted to remind Naruto that on no account, none at all, should his cousin be hurt in any manner, especially now that she is leaving them. Leaving him.

Naruto looked surprised, and his head was now upturned, facing Neji, with his eyes rounding in complete disbelief, 'Neji, I do not understand…'

'No, you do not have to,' Neji interrupted him, 'Listen to me, Naruto,' he had now begun to hiss with warning.

'I am not going to question your sexual orientation,' Naruto's eyes went even larger as Neji said that, 'and I am definitely not going to repeat what you did after the match today in a verbal narration,' Neji writhed with disgust at that thought, 'I am even going to ignore your blatant oblivion of the distress my cousin is going through..'

'I am not _blatantly_ ignoring her..'

'Shut up,' Neji whispered menacingly, 'Didn't I told you to listen?'

Naruto seemed even afraid to breathe a word, and he had seen the light of the reason Neji is confronting him. 'Whatever you do, as long as she doesn't know it, there is no need for redemption from your part. And that's where I plan to maintain her in, blissfully unaware of your wandering manners. Thank me for that later, but if you hurt her, forgive me for sending you to Hell.'

Naruto looked surprised, but more less so that he is somewhat assured of Neji's silence in that matter. He did not say anything further, and returned to his room.

Neji watched silently as he slowly observed Naruto's back disappearing. He cannot believe his eyes on what he saw this morning after the match. He had always thought of his brother-in-law as somewhat weird, loud, hyperactive, and super-playful, and yet dignified man on his own rights.

He was always treating Hinata as a precious diamond, that Naruto. How many years have they been together, and yet they still remained as loving as ever. It did not surprised him that were to be married at the knowledge of Hinata's illness.

For Neji, Hinata was not always a closely bonded relative, and it was Naruto who had helped him away from brooding over the plight of his family's estrangement from the main Hyuuga clan. Hinata, who is now the former would-be heiress of the massive Hyuuga property (Her sister, Hanabi, would take over in the light of her future death, but Neji couldn't care less about the inheritance right in the clan), had always respected him as a capable Hyuuga member, and had always tried to befriend him, the shy girl who had low self-confidence. He now treasured her, and will devote his time over to helping her.

One kiss, with another _man_, crumbled all sense of dignity from his cousin's husband that he had respected and admired (although he had never admitted it).

Neji always knew that you can change your perception, but you cannot alter what you have seen, no matter how scandalous and outrageous they are.

* * *

Kakashi was awoken with a start from the rumbling sound of the rain, heavily hitting the grounds of earth. He sat up on his bed, accidentally throwing down the book he was reading before falling asleep. He turned his head so that his eye is now looking out from his window, and wondering why he had not been able to wake up earlier. His right eye, the only visible eye was red from fatigue, and every inch of his body cried to be rested.

Working as a part time tutor was no part time burden, not especially that he is teaching rich kids; offspring of affluent and powerful families. Kakashi does not like teaching, he would have loved to take up his PhD someday, but he had decided against it. He is still young, still needing to enjoy life, and his pay is enough for his simple lifestyle. Teaching part time, therefore, suited him best.

However, if there was one thing that anyone who knew him cannot seem to discern, is his lack of luck in the love department. Nobody had ever seen him with a girlfriend, and some speculate that he would never ever settle down, or that he was gay. The others can speculate for all he cared, Kakashi is a straight guy, and he knew it very well. He is just enjoying life too much too settle down.

Using his hand to rub his eye, he had wanted to continue his date with the characters in his current favourite book, Icha Icha Tactics (and collecting it from the floor as it was the one that he had thrown down before) in the Dreamland. However, he suddenly remembered-

'My CLOTHES!' that were hanging in the verandah of his messy little apartment. He made a dash towards the said place, and began to frantically keep his pants when he spotted a familiar figure at the foot of the tall building. Kakashi stopped short, and ceased to care about his clothes anymore, because the figure belonged to-

'Oh my god, Sasuke!' He took his keys, (carelessly dump his clothes back into the rain) and while still not fully clothed, he ran downstairs and saw that young man drenched in rain.

'Oi, Sasuke, come in, or you'll really catch fever!' He called out to him.

Sasuke walked towards Kakashi slowly, with a clearly I'm-pretending-to-not-look-troubled-but-I-am look all drawn out. How many times had Kakashi seen it? How many times had Kakashi helped ease his troubles? That's somewhat the perks of having to teach rich, smart kids- there's not much that you need to teach them, all they need are companion, and Kakashi is great at being one.

'Hey, Kakashi…' He seemed to be having a tough time, just to get the words across, like there is something holding him back, in his chest. Kakashi knew this feelings well. Sasuke wanted to show him that he's ok, but otherwise betrayed himself, by just not being ok.

'Can I stay here, at your place, for now?'

Kakashi, aside from really adoring this student of his, can find no reason to say no.

* * *

Hinata really loved rainy days.

Two of her most treasured memories, both occurred when it was raining heavily.

When Hinata was five years old, her mother gave birth to her sister. Hinata remembered that when she had welcomed her to this world, it was raining heavily. So heavy that it had deafen her hearing, that she cannot hear her sister crying. The face she made when she was supposedly crying, was as if she was actually trying to say to Hinata that she was glad to be arriving to the world. Thanks for being here when I reach here, Hinata felt her saying.

Hinata could still remember how her little sister felt like. Her little hands were really soft and frail, but such strong grasp they had when they were taking Hinata's finger! Her skin was as soft as silk, and the way she yawned, it was just too adorable!

'Father, what is her name?' Hinata asked Hiashi.

'You're Hinata, and so she'll be Hanabi, the fireworks. May she shine like the fireworks, and may everyone love looking at her just like they love looking at fireworks,' her father had said.

Hinata had marveled at the reasoning, but was a little jealous at her sister. Her father had put so much effort and heart into naming her sister. However, as she looked at her sister, newly named Hanabi, it was impossible to feel anything but love for her sister, she was just a pretty little thing, she thought to herself.

At that time, Hinata thought the world is a beautiful place.

When she was fifteen, there was a day when Hinata was walking back home, accompanied by Naruto, and she suddenly realized that she had lost her necklace. It was a Hyuuga inheritance that was passed to her by a grandaunt, and she had treasured it ever since she came to possess it. She began frantically searching all over the floor. Naruto jokingly said as he watched her in amusement, 'That necklace could probably buy 10 mansions, would it?'

'Naruto-kun,' she retaliated, 'it was not a joke! Oh, what will father say, Naruto-kun? He had always been really unhappy about my carelessness.' Tears were visibly forming in her eyes, ready to fall.

Hinata remembered him scratching his head, thinking for a while, before eventually saying, 'It'll be alright, Hinata. Why don't you go back, and search at your room? Since you treasure it so much, you might have just locked it inside your drawer.'

'But, Naruto-kun..'

'Don't worry, it'll appear,' he said with an unusual air of confidence, adding, 'I promise you, with the power of mine, I'll make it appear! At least I will, when you go out on a date with me…'

Ah, Hinata had just remembered! At that time, they were still at a stage when they wasn't officially as a 'dating couple', and after doing projects together, sparks flew between them, and Naruto had started his flirtatious advances on Hinata.

Hinata also remembered smiling, despite her anxiety over the missing necklace. Somehow, Naruto had always managed to make her laugh, even at the midst of his flirting remarks. Naruto walked her home, and left soon after they reached her doorstep. He had promised that he would help her look for the necklace on the way home, and will look for it until one of them finds it.

Hinata could not trace any remnant of the necklace in her house, and was halfway through turning her bedroom upside down, when she heard the thunderous roar of the lightning. That shook her massively, and suddenly she realized that it was raining heavily outside. Then suddenly it dawned to her upon the meaning behind the rain and the lack of news from Naruto- he may still be searching for that necklace of hers, drenched in merciless rain!

She grabbed an umbrella, and rushed towards the route that they took taking her home just a while ago. She was calling his name, but with the massive sound of the rain hitting the grounds, she might as well be dumb – no one could hear her, or her inaudible screams. She walked and looked, and ran and screened the surrounding, and then she saw him. Naruto. Standing beside their favourite porch.

He saw her coming too. And then he flashed her that megawatt smile that always seemed to indicate his accomplishment, and perhaps this was to say to her-

'Look, Hinata! See what I found?' he screamed, beating those rainy sounds, showing her that gleaming pendant and its chain. She was suddenly immobilized, as tears came down, for real. She remembered thinking that why, Naruto-kun? Why do you do this to me? Why?

Naruto seemed to be dazed by her reaction, and he then ran towards her. Stupid Hinata, he had called, why do you cry? Look, haven't I found your necklace? Aren't you happy?

Hinata didn't remember saying anything, or doing anything else but to release that umbrella she was holding, and threw herself to his arms. He then stroked her wet face, bent down, and then with none of them knowing what else to do, kissed her. Fiercely and hungrily. Like he had waited, wanted to do this for a long time.

It was more than just a kiss in the rain; it was a kiss that started it all. Hinata couldn't help but thinking that the world is really a wonderful place.

Hinata couldn't reminisce more, as she was startled by Naruto entering and suddenly appearing by her side.

'Naruto-kun, you frighten me!'

He made a shocked face, and said, 'Do I really? Oh, now I realized that I have just such a scary face that I even frighten my own wife..' he contorted his face in a poor imitation of a zombie.

'Stop that, Naruto-kun! I didn't mean that. I'm sorry that I did not hear you coming in,' Hinata said and returned her gaze towards the window, 'must be the rain.'

Naruto followed the directions of her eyes, and told her what he saw, 'Yeah, very heavy rain, isn't it? Doesn't it just remind you of something?'

'Right, that time, Naruto-kun,' Hinata replied.

Naruto crept closer to her. 'Too bad, Hinata. I would not be able to kiss you in the rain again,' he said with a tone of regret, 'unless I want you in the bed for a week, that is. You'll surely be down with a cold in an instant if you even touch the rain this time around.'

Hinata, despite their repaired relationship, much improved relationship, never liked to be in the aid of others, and as much as she tried to overcome her illness, she never liked the fact that death was crawling its way to her.

When had it that she felt that a certain figure will always appear everytime she woke up in the middle of the night, telling her that her time is up, and she'll have to follow her, as she gasped and panted, struggling to breathe, fighting off the pain in her chest. However, it was the figure that eventually made her tears stream down her face. Whenever she saw that wordless and imageless message, she wanted to rebel and retaliate. 'Leave the world, leave Naruto-kun? I do not want to! I do not want to die yet!' she'll whisper in silence to that messenger.

A sudden jolt of inner force that pushed her upfront woke her off her thoughts. She held her chest, which had been suddenly overwhelmed with pain, and it was apparent to her that her lungs were not functioning as they should, as if blocked. Naturally, she opened her mouth, to capture more air.

Naruto was shocked, and he held her, massaging her back as usual. 'Hinata, hang in there! Neji, help!'

Hinata looked up and she heard that voice again. Cold and vicious, it called to her, 'Come with us, your time is up. Leave.'

Before she realized what she had done, she said out loud, 'No! Don't take me now, not now! I do not want to die! I do not want to leave! NOOOO!' The last word was heard as a strangled scream.

Then Hinata coughed up whatever that was blocking her, cupping up her mouth with her hand. Naruto massaged her back ever harder, asking her to hang in there, to stay in composure. But his voice diminished, and the last image she saw before passing out was that of her own hand, for she had just coughed out-

'BLOOD!' Naruto yelled. 'Hinata!!!!' he bellowed, a voice that eventually sent out panic sirens all around the Hyuuga residence.

* * *

Please do tell me what you feel, because I seriously feel that I need to improve!

Thank You!


	9. Tragedies

Cursed Beauty

Chapter 9: Tragedies

Author's notes: Hi ya! Updates faster….

Thanks for the reviews that came despite my very, very late updates!

* * *

Sasuke was drying his hair in Kakashi's apartment, watching Kakashi desperately squeezing the water out of his clothes, those clear liquids flowing into a basin he had placed beside him.

'My bad, Sasuke. Must have forgotten to take them in before I slept just now. And I should apologize for the obvious lack of maintenance and management in this humble little space I take as my permanent accommodation,' he said, with an honest smile beneath the mask he always wear. Why, though?

'Hey, Kakashi,' Sasuke asked, 'Why is it that…' He couldn't bring himself to ask something that he had always wanted to know, but he knew Kakashi would always give him some weird answers.

Kakashi's right eye darted to Sasuke, suspiciously.

'Alright,' Sasuke took a deep breath, and continued, 'What's with the mask, Kakashi?'

'Oh, that again?' Kakashi shot a distant look, and continued squeezing his shirt.

Sasuke knew better than to expect a normal answer from his quirky teacher. There was only two other occasion, when he had asked the same question. The first was when he was introduced to Kakashi. He was only eight, full of skeptic opinions and doubts for his private tutor. Unsurprisingly, the first question he asked Kakashi was 'Hey, why are you wearing a mask?'

Kakashi, who was half reading a book, Icha Icha Paradise (the earlier versions), closed it immediately, and bent down to Sasuke, his right eye just inches away from Sasuke's left.

'Not telling.' That was his answer, short and conclusive. Then, he flashed Sasuke a smile, and hand out his hand for him. 'Let's cooperate, shall we?' Sasuke cannot help but thought that Kakashi, while being a really weird person, could be really fun too.

The second time, was when he trying to spar with him. Kakashi was a master in martial arts too, and he had taught Sasuke some moves. He was twelve, a pre-teen full with eagerness and curiosity towards what the exiting world of teenagers could offer him, and attempted to pull that mask out. He had warned him not to read that book of his while fighting him. But he just answered, 'It's ok, go ahead. If I do not read what happened next, I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.'

'At your risk!' was Sasuke's reply, and he immediately charged towards him. He attacked with his left, occupying Kakashi's right, and his right immediately blocked Kakashi's left elbow, thus fingers free to scratch that mask away from his face. But Kakashi was too smart for Sasuke, he kicked him, and Sasuke fell as a result of improper balance, and Kakashi squatted beside him, 'Yo, boy, didn't I tell you to always keep your feet on the ground? It had meant to maintain your balance!'

Sasuke groaned of pain. 'You're mean!'

'By the way,' Kakashi added. 'I also told you once that I am not telling you why I am having this mask on.'

'What's beneath it?' Sasuke yelled.

'Oh, wasn't it the same question?' Kakashi chuckled.

'No, idiot!' Sasuke couldn't get past the fact that his tutor was much stronger than he is, besides being a smart, mysterious young man.

'When I was young,' Kakashi seemed to have given in, 'I went up the mountains to catch butterflies, and then well, I sort of went too near to the cliff, and then I saw a tiger.' He told Sasuke with the air as if speaking of an untold legend to a child. 'That tiger was so vicious, I immediately ran, and ran, and ran…until I realized that the tiger was no longer chasing after me. I heaved a really relieved sigh, and resumed my butterfly catching session..'

He went on and on about butterflies that he caught, without once seeming to reach to a part in which an incident that caused to cover his face forever.

'Hey, Kakashi,' Sasuke had no choice but to interrupt him. 'What does this butterfly-catching session had to do with you covering your face with a black mask?'

Kakashi stop abruptly, and then blinked his eye a few times. Finally he stood up, smiling, and said something that made Sasuke wanted to thrust his abdomens with a sword, 'Nothing, I told you the wrong story.'

This, is the third time Sasuke tried to find the reason for that mask, and he saw Kakashi was contorting his face, as if carefully choosing words to say.

'Hmmm…How should I put it?'

* * *

'Thanks for willing to make the journey, Dr. Tsunade,' Naruto bowed to the young-looking middle-aged woman.

'I am just merely accomplishing my job as a serologist, and a specialist in hemodialysis. Hiashi is an old drinking buddy, can't disappoint him,' Tsunade said, with a broad on her face, packing up her medical equipments. 'Hinata should do with a little rest, please do not worry.

Almost all prominent members were present in the Hyuuga mansion upon hearing of Hinata's condition, not that they had to make a journey, as the houses of those branch members were just a stone throw's away.

'I shall take my leave now,' Tsunade headed to the door, 'Hiashi, a word, please,' she asked for the Hyuuga head with a whisper.

'Right, Tsunade,' Hiashi motioned to her that she'll be there in a while by nodding, and called for-

'Naruto-kun, I would like you to follow.'

Naruto, still not over the shock of seeing Hinata coughing up blood, was a little bowled over by the sudden invitation. He was not complaining however, Tsunade was probably going to discuss Hinata's condition further than was necessary to others, and he wasn't going to turn that request down. That request meant much more that what it sounded - acknowledgement and most certainly respect.

'Yes,' was the only word that he could form with a lump in his throat, and he tore his gaze away from the unconscious Hinata.

They gathered by the door to Hinata's room, and Tsunade's face frowned seriously. 'I'm sorry that what I am going to say is not something pleasant.'

'We appreciate that,' Hiashi replied, as a form of courtesy, 'please continue.'

Tsunade and Hiashi exchanged approval glances, both agreeing to be transparent. 'I'm afraid that her condition had worsened beyond my calculation upon the current observations of her symptoms.'

'She may not last more than 10 days or even lesser,' Tsunade said after swallowing her saliva, 'Please be mentally-prepared.'

* * *

_A boy of thirteen stood outside the house which was blazing with fire. He saw numerous people rushing to and fro, and some trying to connect the hosepipes together. _

_Not long after, the boy caught the sight of his parents._

_'Kakashi, thank goodness you are safe!' his mother hugged him, engulfed with tears of gratitude. 'What should I do, if you were inside?'_

_'Mother,' the boy has no other question, 'where is Obito?'_

_'Oh my god, wasn't he with you?'_

_The boy couldn't say anything else. He took a nervously panicked gulped of saliva into his throat, and looked back at the inferno that was consuming the brick building in front him. For a moment he thought he heard a silent cry calling for him._

* * *

Naruto was still stroking Hinata's hair when she stirred, and mumbled something inaudible to his ears.

He said softly to her, 'Hey Hinata, it's me here.'

'Naruto-kun?' she began to open her eyes weakly.

He gave her a little gentle peck on the forehead, and then whispered, 'Yes, it's me. You just made me almost lose my heart out in panic, remember?'

'I'm sorry,' At least Hinata retained the heat and red colour of her cheek when she blushed, it had been so pretty whenever she does that, 'I didn't mean to…'

She did not finish her sentence because-

'Ah, Naruto-kun!' her voice shot louder, shocked Naruto, 'I forgot to ask you about today's match!'

He gave a chuckle. How could she be so sick, so needing rest, yet able to find time to be worry about his match, insignificant match?

'There's no need to worry, because we won it,' Naruto answered her, 'And you should be resting, not worrying about my match.'

'Because..because,' there seemed to be some sort of reluctance and anxiety in her voice, 'I care for your matches, Naruto-kun. Because…because I love watching you play. I'm sorry that I never managed to tell you…'

'I love the way you blush, Hinata. I also like it when twiddle your fingers when I teased you before we started going out. And I really, really like the way your hair smells after you shower,' Naruto cut her, 'Don't say such things, Hinata, we still have a lot of time. Tell me one by one if you have to. But you know, I already knew it.'

'Thanks, Hinata, for choosing me.'

'Naruto-kun…'

'Promise me, Hinata, you'll rest well,' Naruto held her frail hand, 'I'll be here for you, always,' and lift it to his lips.

'Hey, Naruto-kun,' Hinata seemed more relaxed, 'Let me watch you play.'

Naruto had been wishing for the same thing. 'There's a mid-week match in two days.'

And he stayed by her side, as always, for the night.

* * *

'Where should I start?' Kakashi was still lamenting on his confusion in his life story concerning the origin of the scar.

Sasuke knew better than to finally accept the fact that his teacher's finally going to tell him the truth.

Kakashi gave a grin, and said, 'You know, Sasuke, I may be telling you my life story, please be patient.'

'You're not going to tell me the wrong one, are you?'

Kakashi's grin expanded and he replied, 'No, of course not. I promise.'

'It's not that I do not want to answer you, Sasuke, it was me trying to evade from reliving that day.'

'That day I lost my brother.'

Sasuke heartbeat stopped for a moment. He never knew, he never realized, he never felt – there was actually such tragedy lying beneath the quirkiness, humourous and fun-loving nature.

'You see Sasuke, I once had a younger brother. He was one year younger, but for all the years we had together, he was the careless one. Careless, alright, but decent.'

'Decent, yeah. Maybe just a little too naïve, I would say. When I was thirteen, we had a fight, because I picked up smoking at that time. As usual, it was because there was a hot girl who rejected me for a good-for-nothing guy who was a jerk, and who loved bragging about the way his hair smelled like…'

Kakashi cleared his throat after pausing upon seeing a disapproved look from Sasuke.

'Uh-hum,' he continued, 'Anyway, my brother caught me smoking in the kitchen once, and he told me off. But I wasn't willing to lose, and then I threw the cigarette butt there, ran off to the sanctuary I once called my friends.'

'I did not know what happened later, but when I return back home, the house caught fire. Because of me.' Sasuke realized that Kakashi's face was clear of that of shame and regret.

'My brother died, and I was left with a burnt face after going in to search for him.'

Sasuke did not know what to do, to comfort him, or to act like usual. He could see now why he was never willing to tell the reason why he was wearing a mask. To confess is to relive that day that he had caused such an accident, to have an incident that scarred not just his face, but his heart as well. It sure had taken him a lot of effort just to forget about it, and he had forced him to remember it. Kakashi, he thought must have mustered a lot of strength to just tell that to him.

'I'm sorry, Kakashi,' Sasuke felt obliged to apologize, 'if I knew that it was something like this, I wouldn't have..'

'By the way, Sasuke,' Kakashi didn't seem to want to continue that topic that spanned around his tragic life story, 'You gotta go back to class.'

'After all, there is only a few weeks left before your second year end.'

Sasuke hadn't given thought about his own education. 'I don't care anymore about that.'

'You cannot say that, Sasuke,' Kakashi disagreed, 'I was hired to be in charge of your education, and until you graduate, I have to make sure that you actually attend the classes.'

'Kakashi, there was something that I need to ask your opinions on.'

'Fire away.'

He began to unload his mind, and confide to him what he had just heard from his own brother.

* * *

_Amsterdam, Holland_

'Orochimaru-sama, my resources had confirmed the whereabouts of the weasel,' Kabuto bowed before him. He was a loyal subordinate that was the ambassador for himself and the Uchiha clan. The clan was a real cash milk cow, and Itachi's absence made it easier to form an underground coalition with them, making it sounding as if they were collaborating.

Orochimaru was a cruel, ruthless man when it came down to business. Partners may they be, but when Itachi defied him, he had the Uchiha head and his wife killed. Seamlessly. Perfectly. Without a trace.

'He is now in the place where the heart is.'

Orochimaru cannot help but smirked at the predictability at his prey's action. 'See, Kabuto. Love not, and emote not. Bonds and emotions, these affiliations gained you nothing but a pimp-like man with no heart for greater things.'

'Let us be there for him. The poor boy will be broken without me.'

* * *

'Look, Sasuke,' was what Kakashi had to say after a long sigh, after listening to the younger man's account of what's the latest trouble he had been weight down upon. 'I would want you to take Itachi's advice to leave your girl alone, whoever it is.'

Whoever it is? Sasuke didn't understand.

'I've lost track of your conquests, to be honest, no offence intended,' Kakashi said, with a smile to indicate to joke.

'That wasn't funny, Kakashi!'

Kakashi laughed and then continued, 'Sorry, anyway, back to business.'

'Do you have anything in mind?'

Sasuke took a deep breath, and announced, 'I'm going to find a way to save my Itachi.'

'Thanks to you Kakashi, it made me realized that he must have been gathering a lot of courage to actually tell me the truth, and to warn me about the days ahead. I can't say that I have a plan, I can't say I have a definite way to get back at Orochimaru, but I have objectives.'

With eyes showing full determination, Sasuke said, 'Save my brother, and also to not let my beloved ones hurt again.'

'Thanks for the advise, Kakashi. I hoped it doesn't sound corny, but the part about beloved ones, include you,' he said awkwardly.

'Nah,' Kakashi brushed the air with his Icha Icha Tactics, 'I don't need protection from a guy weaker than me,' and landed an unexpected punch on him.

* * *

The crowd roared with such a commotion, that even the crowd in the dressing room is getting their blood boiled.

'We win this, we are getting that damned trophy!' Kiba was obviously getting very excited.

'Yeah, lucky, aren't we? That Oto's lost that last match? Win this one, win another one, and another one, and we are champions!' Lee had as much eagerness as Kiba.

'Right, Lee. Three more match to go. Don't get too confident,' Shikamaru pulled them back to earth.

'Yeah, Oto's a good team. We worked hard to beat them on the first leg remember?' Neji added himself into the conversation.

'Don't worry, Shikamaru, we'll win this. I just have feeling that we will!' Naruto butted in with his usual hyperactiveness that never failed to cheer up the whole team.

'Not with Sasuke missing!' Coach Gai just entered the dressing room, 'Have anyone seen him?'

Everyone went silent, with only the stadium crowd audible.

Coach Gai took it as a negative answer.

'Anyone looking for me?' In came the usual arrogant voice that belonged to the man that was in the top of Coach Gai's wanted list.

That turn of event made the men go about sharing their own take of how the match will turn out, muting Coach Gai's lecture to Sasuke.

Naruto noticed that Shikamaru lacked that enthusiasm that is always present in that man who is now wearing his captain armband. Not that he ever showed any real enthusiasm to be exact, but that leadership qualities that made him a captain wasn't a effective against his constant rants about having a troublesome job as a captain.

'Hey, Shikamaru, Temari's not coming again?'

'Yeah, that troublesome woman's got to work overtime again. I can say that I am not disappointed but I guess I am just bad at faking my own emotions. That was so troublesome,' Shikamaru said.

'I understand why you were down, Shikamaru. Hinata's coming today, I knew how it felt to have that one person supporting you.'

'How's she?' Shikamaru immediately, apparently managed to turn his disappointment into sympathy, as he was one of the few that knew of Hinata, being childhood friends.

Naruto did not want to tell him what he had in mind about Hinata, and he was glad when Coach Gai shouted-

'Guys, it's time! Hammer them to their knees!'

Naruto had a feeling that Hinata may just not have a chance to see him play again if she did not come for today's match.

* * *

The last ten minutes had never seemed so intense in Naruto's life.

They were one-nil down, and it is a bad situation to be in.

Naruto was starting to wear out from the running and chasing. However, when he spotted Hinata among the crowd, he realized that he couldn't spare any energy, or any killing intent for the opponent. Hinata needed to see him in his best. He did not know why, a part of him seemed to want him to play at his best for Hinata.

He spotted Kiba with the ball, with nobody from Konoha team around him. He ran towards him, shouting for others to do the same. Lee and Sasuke immediately ran over, and Naruto signaled to Kiba to pass him the ball.

The electronic clock showed the time had hit the 81st minute. Less than 9 minutes, and they cannot spare any ball possession. Kiba turned around, pretending to aim to Sasuke, and then kick it to the opposite direction, towards Naruto. Naruto saw the ball rolling to him, and wiping yet another drop of sweat from his forehead with his head, he was ready to welcome that rounded glory that was the ball.

But Naruto did not anticipate for Oto guy to sneak behind him, and legs clashed, he fell to the ground. The referee blew his whistle, and-

'Konoha, penalty!'

Naruto headed to the goal holding the ball. Placing down the ball in its supposed penalty kick position, he took a few steps behind.

He took a long, deep breath, and looking around he saw what was the utmost anxiety ever seen. The Konoha supporters were all joining their hands, as if praying. Some were biting their fingers, and some were almost causing their lips to bleed.

The Oto crowd were singing a song, but it sounded strange, and it wasn't their usual anthem. Naruto's blood began to boil as he heard them singing:

_Naruto's ain't got guts,_

_Cos' his team is full of nuts;_

_Konoha's just full of crap,_

_We won't lose to this brats_!

'What a badly rhymed song, as crappy as they say about us, their lil' song a whole load of shit,' he heard Sasuke saying, 'Hit it, you moron. You've got to!' Sasuke shouted to Naruto.

Naruto have not anymore time to waste, and he gained his momentum by running towards the ball, gathered all his strength to kick it; and hit the right mark.

'GOOOOALLLLLLL!"

It seemed as if an earthquake just happened. The entire stadium was shaking with excitement. Now, Naruto heard another song, but this time from the Konoha's side.

_Who said he can't win,_

_Gotta throw that to the bin;_

_Oto's job is to make noise,_

_Naruto will shut their voices!_

Naruto broke free from the human pile that he was in, headed towards Hinata, He saw her gleaming from her seat above, and waved his fist at her!

'Watch me, Hinata!'

* * *

The electronic giant clock paused at that 90th minute mark, and the little timer below began running.

The linesman had just revealed that they were given three minutes extra.

Sasuke didn't care. They were almost all at Oto's goal, and Shikamaru was about to kick the ball from the corner, having just obtained the right for corner kick.

_Sasuke's just a pretty face,_

_His talent's is of no base;_

_When a scratch appear on his cheek,_

_That's when he'll start to freak._

The Oto team's supporter are getting on his nerve, creating a crap song for every single player to insult the Konoha players. Sasuke wanted to win badly to get back at them, if only he had more time.

But he just doesn't have time, ninety minutes were well over, and their chances to not end up as a draw is as good as him not being a man.

The ball flew towards him, and he saw a good chance to hit the goal. He just have to try, didn't he?

He kick it towards the goal, and it-

Hit the crossbar.

But something amazing happened. Sasuke had hit the crossbar with a heavy blow after all, and it bounced over 15 meters to Naruto, who grabbed the chance and-

'GOALLLLLL again! Another remarkable comeback from the Konoha as they pull a coming-from-behind victory. And even more remarkable is that they pulled that act off in just mere 10 minutes….' Jabbered the very excited commentator.

The Konoha team had no time to jubilate, as the match is still going on. However, they had no more barriers, no more anxiety.

All they need is a delay, and all they did for the last minute was to throw the ball off course. For the Konoha team, the minute had never seemed so long, but when the last whistle was blown, they gathered together, shouting like they've never shouted before, threw off their shirts, forming yet another human pile.

Sasuke saw Naruto running towards Hinata, with a clear victorious expression on him.

* * *

Hinata rose from her seat, wanting to congratulate him. She was having difficulty even in breathing, because she had been too excited about the win. She saw him running across the field to her, and she wanted nothing more in the world than to reward him with kisses.

She had always loved seeing him play. That spirit of never giving up. That eyes that only eye for victory. That look of determination. That energy that said 'I'm gonna win'- Hinata loved all that.

She was helped by Hanabi, her sister, but just as she was about to take a step, her head started to spin. It was spinning harder, and now it began to hurt.

She fell to her knees, and she heard that voice again.

Her head hurts, and she couldn't think.

'Come with us…'

No, Hinata insisted. She would not follow those voices, she needed to congratulate Naruto. She wanted to see his face once again.

Hear his jubilant screams again.

She doesn't want to leave Naruto.

Her hand immediately shot up to support her chest as she felt the same force that was always pushing her, feeling yet another burden from beneath her chest that she needed to dispose of. Her other hand was covering her mouth, and not long after it was filled with blood that were exiting her mouth.

There's no doubt about it. She had to go. Her time is up.

No matter how much she resisted this time, it wouldn't work. No matter how much she refused those voice, they wouldn't let her go.

'Please don't take me yet, please.' Hinata whispered to that sound.

'Please…'

* * *

Naruto stood still with shock.

Hinata, he saw from the ground of the stadium, fell back to her seat, after getting up.

He forced his legs to move, and ran towards her.

But Hinata wasn't unconscious, thanks goodness, but she was coughing up blood again. She made an enormous effort to stop her coughs, and say to him-

'Congrates, Naruto-kun, you did…,' and she started coughing again, more serious than ever. Blood was now oozing from her, and her face had seemed to have lost any remaining trace of life from her.

Naruto couldn't get his throat to make any sound, and he felt an immediate rise in the speed of his heartbeat that wasn't caused by the 90 minutes of running he just did.

He was scared. Fear was what dominated his head. His chest were getting heavier, and the next thing he knew, his cheeks were wet with his tears.

This can't be happening. Not now, Hinata, he thought. Naruto coerced his mind into not thinking anything other than just her having normal attacks. He forced himself to gain composure.

He dropped to his knees, bringing himself to her level, and said, 'Thanks for coming, Hinata.'

Naruto couldn't seem to stop his tears. There's no more reason to lie to himself. He didn't know how he knew, but he had a sickening feeling that Hinata is..

Her blood-soaked hands were at his cheeks, staining them with those red colour of despair.

'Naruto-kun,' she whimpered, 'I will be going…' she spoke slowly and brokenly.

Naruto held her tight, like she was a butterfly that will disappear if he let go.

'Please do not speak, Hinata. We'll go back, and you'll rest, then you'll be fine.'

But he was only cheating himself. Being so close to her, he could felt her heartbeat getting irregular. Her hand that was stroking his cheek, now was clutching his hand. She's going to leave him anytime soon.

'Hey, Hinata, you know what they were singing about me, it was like,' Naruto's voice fell low, so low that only Hinata can hear. He sang gently to her, like a mother to her child, 'Who said he can't win, gotta throw that to the bin; Oto's job is to make noise, Naruto will shut their…'

He could bring himself to finish the song. At that moment when Hinata's grip on his hand loosens, he felt that the world had come to a halt. He couldn't hear anything, and he couldn't feel anything, nothing but extreme grief, that was beyond words and tears. He couldn't cry anymore.

Her heartbeat had stopped.

Droplets of rain began to fall upon him, as Hinata lay lifeless in his arms.

It was as if the sky was also crying.

It took Naruto a moment to be able to stomach the truth, as he stood still, and when he did, all that could be heard was his fox-like screams of the cries of his heart, that echoed through the entire stadium, broke through the rain, and pierced through the sky.

'HINATA!'

* * *

Yeah, I did it! The scene that was by far the hardest to write! Hope I did ok…

Thanks for your support, and please keep on reading, and I will work harder.

Please review, just to tell me what you think! Thanks!


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